The Secret of The Mystic Isles: Book 1
by Destiny D Morgan
Summary: A tale as old as time, a story that never really ended, a race that was erased from existence. During an Adventure aunt, Tilly found a map that leads to a great treasure as well as a great magical item that was thought to be a myth. This one map caused a storm of trouble that could put the lives of everyone at risk. Join Sofia and her friends as they go on the biggest adventure yet
1. Chapter 1

**This was a story that I wanted to write for a while back when Sofia the First didn't have a major focus on the mystic isles. However, the addition of the mystic isles actually helped me in making this better, So I hope you enjoy the story.**

 **Chapter 1:**

Thousands of years ago, before even the first protectors, were called upon. Their land was protected by 6 powerful stones. Time, Space, Darkness, Light, Magic, and Power were their names they were known as the reality stones. Each stone was used for help control the balance of The Mystic Isles. These stones possessed great power and were the joy of everyone on The Mystic Isles. However, a monstrous demon known only as a ghoul, had his people gather him the 6 stones. These ghouls destroyed what was a larger Mystic Isles and with the 6 reality stones in his grasp. The Ghoul King was a ruthless king with an army of both the living and the dead. They conquered the isles and then set their sights on Everrealm, and they ruled over the land until the first protectors were chosen. They fought bravely and many lost their lives and managed to get the stones away from this king. After they took his life, they realized that the reality stones were too powerful to keep together. The ghoul people were forced to take home in the darkest parts of the isles, and the stones were scattered across the isles and the Everrealm. Protectors have been chosen for years to protect the isles as well as the reality stones. However, according to legend, the ghouls will rise again and only a warrior of pure light can defeat a queen of pure evil.

"And that is the legend of The Mystic Isles great war. Tilly concluded.

"Is that a true story?" Sofia The First, the current Everrealm protector questioned. It has been almost 6 months since Vor had tried to conquer the Mystic Isles and The EveRealm. Sofia since had been labeled a hero by every kingdom in the land. Since then there had been a great while of peace on the isles. During that time Sofia had been doing her best in the princess academy she and Amber went too. Starlight Academy, James attended a prince academy as well as his squire training. Things were looking up for the royal children of Enchantcia.

Currently, the royal family was having dinner. "No one knows." Tilly reached inside of her bag and pulled a scroll of some kind. "That was until I found this on an adventure I was on."

King Roland held his hand out towards his sister, "may I that a look at that?"

"Of course", placing the scroll in her big brother hands, Roland unrolled it and was a bit amazed at what he was looking at.

"What exactly is this?" Roland asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tilly answered with a grin. "It is a map leading to a vast amount of treasure and apparently The Time Stone".

"What kind of treasure are we talking about?" Nothing excited Princess Amber more than gold and jewels.

"Oh the same old same old, gold, silver, diamonds, gems of all kinds." Tilly listed off. "However, if this map is real. It could also lead us finding the most powerful magically item in history. The time stone."

"What can the Time Stone do?" Prince James asked.

"I was gonna ask the same thing Tilly", Queen Miranda chimed in.

"The Time Stone possessive the power to turn back time and let the user go forward in time. According to legend, the time stone was used to help build towers and towns. If a mistake was made they would use this time stone to go back in time and fix it. According to a legend regarding a powerful wizard named James Jones. He used the time stone to go forward and time and learn from the most powerful magical people in the world. It also states that he went back in time to watch famous events go on before heading back to his original time. When he died, he had the Time Stone buried somewhere in a strange land at the far edge of the world." Tilly explained.

"So if the time stone was found that would prove the legend of The Mystic Isles right", Sofia concluded.

"Exactly right Sofia," Tilly answered, taking the scroll back from her brother and putting into her bag. "If the time stone is real, then the other reality stones should still be in hiding somewhere across the world."

"This truly is an amazing find Tilly", Roland praised. "I expect nothing less from my amazing sister."

"Oh your too kind", Tilly answered. "Now onto the reason why I came here so suddenly… I was thinking that such a discovery couldn't be found alone. So I wanted to know if my nieces and nephew wanted to join their aunt for an adventure?"

"A chance to uncover quite possible an amazing treasure, of course, I'll come," James answered.

"As long as I get to keep as much as possible then I'll join you," Amber answered.

"I've always wanted to find something like this. Plus if we find the time stone that would be great." Sofia remarked. "So count me in!"

"Wonderful." Tilly lightly clapped her hands. "As long as it is ok with your parents of course."

"When they are with you. I know they will be safe so I don't see why not," said King Roland.

"I agree," Miranda added.

"That is great. It will be a while before we go through," said Tilly. "I have to go and get this map cleaned up a bit more. I will let you know once that is taken care of."

At that moment one of the royal guards came into the room and whispered something into King Roland's ear. "Again," The guard nodded his head. "Alright gather my council and I will join you very soon."

"Is something the matter king baby brother?" Tilly asked in concern.

"I guess I can't keep this secret for much longer." Roland let out a heavy sigh. "For the last several weeks, something has been massacring people around some villages near the palace and now one has reached the Village of Dunwiddie."

"That's horrible," Sofia said in alarm. "Something is killing people!"

"Not just killing… according to doctors, it has been eating them for food." The air seemed to leave the room as that information was shared.

"Do you have any idea what this could be?" Tilly asked.

Roland shook his head, "we only know that it is feeding every two days or so."

"We need to raise the guard in the village." Miranda proposed. "We cannot have anyone else dying at the hands of this monster."

"I could ask some of the protectors to come and look around", Sofia suggested.

"Both are wonderful ideas, we can do both because this creature needs to be found. If we can we will try and relocate the creature to an isolated area of the world. If we cannot we will have to put it down." Roland concluded.

"Do you have a body of the victim here Roland?" asked Tilly.

"We do," Roland answered.

"I would like to take a look at it." Tilly wanted to see what this being was capable of doing if it was too dangerous, Then she herself might have to take actions and hunt it down.

"As you wish." Roland stood to his feet. "Come with me, Tilly."

Dinner was concluded with a lot of questions on everyone minds. Most involving this new found treasure map and this news of a dangerous creature.

* * *

 **Enchantcia Secret Medical Ward.**

"Was this always here baby brother?" Tilly asked.

"Don't you remember dad brought us here as children," Roland answered.

The King and Duchess walked down a long narrow corridor where two guards were waiting near a large door. "King Roland, and Duchess Matilda." The guards greeted and stepped aside opening the door.

"Thank you, gentlemen." Roland and Tilly walked inside of the room, where a doctor was waiting for them. "Tilly I'd like you to meet Doctor Anderson. He has been looking over the bodies that we have gotten."

"Your Majesty," Doctor Anderson was a fair-skinned man with brown hair and brown eyes. "Come inside, this body is more amazing than the last one."

Doctor Anderson led them to the lastest body they had found. Tilly stomach sunk a bit at the state of the poor woman in front of her. "As you can see it is the same as all the other ones 4 strange puncture marks in the chest and back. Claw marks that have dug into the chest opening it up and the usual organs went from the body. However, this body had two words carved into the back." Doctor Anderson slowly took the blanket off of the body, exposing a male in his back just below the marks read.

"I'm sorry", Roland read out loud.

"These marks show that this creature is highly intelligent so that means that this creature is much more dangerous than we originally thought." Doctor Anderson put on his gloves and ran his fingers through the marks. "This also shows signs of a quick kill, look here these two wounds shows that it stabbed this man through his lungs and heart. This wound here shows it broke his spine and the last one into the spine as well. This creature gave this man as well as the others a quick death. And it seems it fell back about it."

"So we are dealing with an intelligent creature that feeds on humans." Tilly folded her arms over her chest. "That is an amazing find."

"Do we know of any creature that would do something like this?" Roland asked.

"No sir", Doctor Anderson answered. "We have been asking every magical zoologist in the kingdom. Animal expert, and anyone else we can to find a creature that has a match. However, because of the large stab marks. Those are throwing us off."

"Alright, keep up the good work and keep me posted." Doctor Anderson bowed to his king and went back to work.

The duo of Tilly and Roland left this room and went back down the long corridor. "I'll see you later baby brother," Tilly said once they had made it back to the main hallways of the castle. "I am gonna do a little bit of research."

"Good night Tilly." Roland gave his only sister a quick hug. Roland still had a meeting to attend with his council of protocols they needed to take.

* * *

 **Sofia's Room.**

"And you are sure that is what your father said Sofia." A certain dark-skinned white wings man questioned.

"Yes, Orion that is what my dad said," Sofia confirmed. "Can you send protectors to Dunwiddle to provide protection?"

"We take threats like this very serious Sofia," Orion spoke in a firm tone. "I will send Chrysta and two other fairies to you by tomorrow."

"Thank you, Orion." Sofia looked up at Orion with a puzzled look. "Orion… are the reality stones real or just legend."

Orion shook his head, "to be honest with you Sofia, I do not know if the reality stones are real or just a myth. If those 6 stones of unimaginable power are real. If the legend of ghouls is true, then for all we know The Isles and EveRealm might be in danger. I will look into it, for now, keep me informed on what is happening there."

"Yes, Orion and thank you again." Sofia hung up her call from Orion and decide to her own investigation on the reality stones. So she went to the best person she knew who would information on these stones. Mr. Cedric.

Cedric was on cloud nine after he had rescued Sofia and was given the title of Cedric the Great. He was also labeled as a hero across Enchantcia, right now he was working on a couple new potions and spells. "Come in", Cedric called out.

"Mr. Cedric", Sofia came walking into the room. "Or should I say, Mr. Ceedric?" Sofia proposed with a giggle

"Very funny Sofia," Cedric answered with a chuckle. "You can just call me Mr. Cedric or Cedric the Great."

"Mr. Cedric will be fine." Sofia walked over and sat down in one of his chairs. "I actually had a question for you."

"And what would that be," Cedric answered stopping his work for now and sitting down next to the princess.

"What do you know about the legend of the reality stones?" Cedric's eyes widened for a second.

"And what made you come an ask this question?" Cedric questioned.

Sofia went ahead and told Cedric about what their aunt had told them and about the map she had found. "Ok… give me a second." Cedric stood up and went through his books. "Here we are.." Cedric pulled out a large book and flipped through it before heading back to Sofia.

"According to this book, the reality stones are 6 stones of immense power. Over the years many people had searched for these 6 stones with hopes of gaining their abilities. One of most powerful wizards James Jones had a strange magic ability to turn back time." Cedric read.

"Wait James Jones was a real person?" Cedric nodded his head.

"He was indeed was a real person, however, the legend of his time manipulation is just that a legend", Cedric answered.

"What about the other stones," Sofia asked.

"The other stones… Space, Darkness, Light, Magic, and Power. Space stone controls space and allows the user to travel between portals. According to legend a sorceress by the name of Angelina La Fey used this stone to travel across the world hiding great amounts of treasure and spell books."

"The Darkness stone give the user the power to control the dead as well the powers over all shadows. As well as power over all evil in the world, as far as I know, there is no tale of a human using this power. This stone also gives someone the power to control and use the darkest spells that would normally destroy someone."

"The light stone, give someone the power to control light and bring back the dead. It is also rumored to heal the sick and allow the user to move at the speed of light. There is a story of a fairy that used the light stone to protect the isle of fairies from a great plague."

"The Magic stone, give the user immense magically power. As well as absorb even the strongest of magic spells sent towards the user."

"Finally we have the power stone, this stone gives the user a special ability to get stronger and stronger. This stone was apart of the legend of a Spanish warrior named Leonardo who used the stone to destroy his enemy by just placing it on the ground."

"What about Ghouls?" Sofia asked.

"Full of questions today are we." with a wave of his wand, Cedric summoned a book he had on ghouls legends.

"Alright, it says he that of all the mystical creatures that live throughout the land, ghouls are the only one that we have no evidence of existing. Only from the legend of The Isles do we get a somewhat decent descriptive of a ghoul. It says that Ghoul is a dark and evil creature that feeds on the body of a human. They look just like humans apart from the glowing red eyes. while they can eat regular food it seems that human flesh and organs are what they need to survive and with it, they are done for. It says that most ghouls can manipulate the blood in their body to form their own personal weapon. These weapons can take the form of spikes, blades, hardtails. Anything they can think of it can be made. According to legend, it seems that there was a great Ghoul King by the name of Roman The Ruthless. A monster of a man who gathered the reality stones and ruled the Isles and Everealm with an iron fist. He was defeated and killed and ever ghoul was sent to the far edge of the Mystic Isles, some didn't and escaped to Everealm to live there." Cedric closed the book in front of him.

"So ghouls could be real?" Cedric shrugged his shoulders.

"While I do admit the idea of a ghoul could be possible, it would be hard to prove they are real since there are no records of their people." Sofia nodded her head. "Anything else?"

"What would happen if someone got all 6 stones?" Cedric placed a hand on his chin.

"I suppose…. That person would become almost a God. With those powers at their hands, they would become a being of great strength." Cedric answered.

"OK thanks, Mr. Cedric." Sofia thanked as she stood to her feet. "I'll see you later."

"Alright, princess Sofia if you need anything else my door will be open." Cedric watched the child leave his office. "Could the time stone be real?"

* * *

In the deep dark woods of Dunwiddle, any passerby could hear the obvious sound of teeth sinking into flesh and bones cracking. "I'm sorry", a soft voice sang through the cold night sky. "I'm so so sorry!"

"Put your hands up", the creature stopped what it was doing with a jump. "Slowly put your hands to the sky or I will shoot you." A certain brown-haired, dark-skinned female by the name of Carol of the Arrow was doing a patrol. She had heard a strange sound and went to investigate, she had no idea that she was gonna stumble into a monster rumored to be around town. She currently had two arrows pointed towards this small beast, ready to shoot.

"I don't wanna hurt you." Carol was surprised to hear a child's voice speak up. "So please let me finish this meal and I will leave. I don't wanna hurt anyone else!"

"I cannot do that", Carol said firmly. "You are the monster that has been killing people across Enchantcia and now you are gonna face judgment for your crimes. So either you come quietly or I have to take you down by force!"

"Leave me alone please", the child begged. "Your gonna make me hurt you".

"I cannot do that." Carol stood on edge as the child let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry", Carol quickly jumped back and shot two arrows towards the child. Who dodged out of the way, the moonlight shined on the two of them. As two bloodshot red eyes stared back at Carol. "I can't let you tell anyone you saw me, I'm so so sorry for what is gonna happen next."

Carol put one hand behind her back and gave a signal to a certain child that she was following her. Jane knew that signal and she also knew that it meant to go and get help. So she ran as fast as she could to find someone that could help. Carol grabbed an arrow and loaded her bow.

"Don't be sorry and do not blame me for what happens next," Carol remarked.

It was quiet and then they both rushed forward.

 **A/N: Well that was the first chapter, see you soon with chapter 2 and let me know what you think about it. Bye Bye.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

 **Enchantcia Castle.**

Roland had finished his conference with his council and was having a little downtime with his family. They had been relaxing playing a simple board game when a guard came rushing into the room. "Your majesty your presence is needed in Dunwiddle Forest!"

"Calm down." Roland placed his hands out in front of him calmly. "What is happening?"

"Your majesty just now a young girl by the name of Jane let some guards in Dunwiddle know that right now Carol of The Arrow is facing off against the monster that has been killing these people!" Everyone eyes went wide in shock.

"We need to go help her dad!" Sofia pleaded, she was still great friends with Carol and didn't want to think of the idea of Carol being killed.

"We will." Roland shot up to his feet. "How many guards do we have in Dunwiddle?"

"Nearly 15 sir and all have gone to help Carol of The Arrow Subdue this monster." Roland nodded his head.

"Alright, I'll be down in five minutes get two more flying coaches ready and send down more members of our guard. This could be our only chance at getting this creature." Roland was about to leave when Sofia grabbed his hand.

"Let me come with you dad." Roland shook his head. "Why not?"

"Sofia you are the protector of the Everealm so I need you to stay here and watch over the palace while I'm gone," Roland explained.

"Dad as protector of the Everealm I need to go and help you out." Sofia countered.

Roland glanced towards Miranda who gave him a small smile and nodded her head. "Alright Sofia, but stay near me at all times."

"Thank you," Sofia answered as she ran out of the room to quickly change.

"Well be back as soon as we can." Roland rushed out of the room as well. "Just be fine Carol."

Once the two of them were ready they got into the flying coach and were about to head off. When the door suddenly opened and Tilly climbed in. "I heard what had happened I'm going to come with you."

Roland nodded his head, "coachmen take us to Dunwiddle immediately!" The coach took flight and they headed to Dunwiddie.

 **Dunwiddie Forest.**

Carol was taking heavy deep breaths as she dropped to one knee holding her shoulder in pain. Her bow was broken in half, and the only weapon she had left was a small dagger she kept in her pants leg. She was currently terrified, she had watched this monster of a girl pull two arrows out of her stomach and showed almost no damage.

"Please just close your eyes and this will be over." Carol looked up as she watched the red-eyed girl walk towards her. Her fingers nails were pointed and very sharp on the ends. "I didn't wanna do this, all I wanted was to eat and go away again."

"You kill that man," Carol coughed out and slowly rose back to her feet. "I cannot allow you to get away."

Carol looked in the girl's eyes and watched tears roll down her face. "Just stop it already! Either you die or you never say I was here!"

"Put your hands up!" The girl turned around and watched as armed guards came all around quickly surrounding the girl. "Listen to me you have nowhere to go, you need to come with us quietly."

"No." The girl with black hair and tattered clothing look back and forth frantically.

"Ms. Carol are you ok?" Two guards kneeled by the adult woman.

"I'll be fine, just hurt my shoulder during that battle," Carol answered with a grimace.

"We can handle things from here Carol." The head guard of the palace was named Matthew Johnson. Matthew looked towards the panicked girl, "listen to me little one. Just calm down and slowly drop to your knees."

"Please just let me leave and no one will get hurt!" Matthew held his hand up.

"Easy," Matthew replied firmly. "We just wanna bring you in for questioning. We have reasons to believe that you have been killing people." Matthew slowly began to walk towards the frightened girl. "Listen to me ok. We do not want to hurt you, we just want you to stand in the court of law for the crimes you have caused."

"Stop it!" The girl slowly backed up. "I don't wanna kill anyone else. Just leave me alone!"

Matthew nodded towards his guards in the back that began to creep up on her, "listen to me. Just keep calm and we are gonna figure this out." Matthew watched as this child hung her head down, and slowly her hair became snow white. "Get her now!"

Two guards rushed forward and right when they were gonna grab her, the unthinkable happened. Both guards let out screams of pain as two tentacles shot out of their stomachs. Blood splatted across the green grass, those tentacles pulled out of their stomachs and both guards collapsed onto the grass dead. "I warned you…. I warned you." The girl slowly lifted her head and a sick sinister smile was on her face. "I told you all that would happen but no one listened!"

"Take her down!" Matthew ordered as he draws his sword. "Get Ms. Carol out of here now!"

"Come with us madam," Carol took one glance back before following those guards.

Matthew took a deep breath, "fire at will achers!"

"You're all gonna die!"

* * *

 **7 minutes after Matthew ordered his guards to attack.**

"We're here!" Sofia cried out as the coach landed in front of the path to Dunwiddie's woods where Carol was resting against a tree. She had ordered the two guards to go back and help their captain. "Carol!" Sofia quickly exited the coach and ran towards her friend. "Are you ok?"

"Carol", Roland and Tilly were right on Sofia heels. "What happened?"

"I was doing a patrol in the woods, I could hear something was eating and when I found the sound. I could make out that some kind of human was eating another human. I snuck up behind her and ordered her to put her hands in the air. We began to fight and this kid is unreal." Carol explained.

"Wait she is a kid?" Asked Roland.

"Yes, she cannot be older than maybe 11." Roland looked absolutely shocked at this news.

"What happened next?" Tilly pressed on.

"She was a monster, I shot all my arrows at her, she dodged them all with such speed and then when they did connect. She would just pull them right back out and threw them down. One kick from her almost broke my shoulder." Carol explained.

"Where is the guard now?" Carol pointed towards the woods. "Still fighting my king but….. I do not think they can win. She changed from a panicked child to something eviler, she stabbed right through two members of the guard in seconds. She had these weird tail like things coming from her back."

"Did you see what color?" Sofia suddenly asked.

"Yeah… a weird mix of red and black." Sofia's eyes went wide.

"A ghoul….", Roland and Tilly turned towards the stunned princess. "That was a ghoul".

"What do you mean Sofia?" Roland questioned.

"I had a talk with Mr. Cedric about ghouls and the reality stones. He told me that a ghoul can create any weapon it wants by using its own blood as a power source." Sofia explained. "Carol, did you see her eyes?"

"Yes…." Carol shook a bit as she thought back to it. "She had black eyes and blood red pupils."

"That matches what Mr. Cedric said." Sofia turned towards Roland. "We need to go in stop this somehow."

"Right you are Carol can you move?" Carol shook her head.

"Sorry, but my pain is too much." Roland nodded his head.

"I'll have my guards watch you." Two more coaches landed and in everyone, 6 armed guards came out. "Two of you stay with Ms. Carol, the rest of you following me."

"Yes, your highness." Roland the charge as the group went running down the path into the woods.

The closer they got the more fear seemed to pour into Sofia's heart. Screams and the sickening sounds of blood splattering on the ground. "What is going on?!" Sofia thought. The came to the opening in the forest and everyone stopped moving and jaws hit the ground at what they were seeing.

The grass was covered with blood and the original guards that had been sent there were dead. Except for Captian Matthew, who was still standing but was in horrible shape. His armor was shattered in places and blood was running down his arms. "Captain Matthew!" Roland shouted out.

"Finally reinforcements." Matthew dropped to one knee.

"There she is." Tilly pointed towards the white-haired girl standing under the moonlight. The group watched as her snow-white hair slowly began to fade away. Replacing it with black.

"I don't wanna hurt anyone else today!" The girl dropped to her knees and put her head in her hands. "Just leave me alone please."

"Let me talk to her," Sofia said calmly.

"Absolutely not Sofia," Roland answered firmly. "Look at the destruction she just caused."

"Dad trust me my amulet will protect me." Sofia took a deep breath before walking out to the young girl. Slowly and carefully until she came to a stop in front of her, "excuse me?"

"Just leave me alone." Sofia could make out the clear sound of sobbing. "I just wanna go away, I don't wanna lose control." Sofia was a bit on edge as the child looked up at her with normal brown eyes. "Who are you?"

"I'm Princess Sofia, can you tell me what your name is?" The girl shook her head. "You don't have too." Sofia kneeled down on the ground with the girl. "Having a bad day huh."

"You can't understand me." Sofia's heart broke for the girl. "Just let me go free and you won't see me ever again."

"We want to help you," Sofia spoke calmly.

The girl shook her head, "no you don't everyone says that and then they capture me and lock me away in a cage, Torture, pain, suffering is all I know I don't wanna kill anyone…. But I have no choice."

"Can you look up at me?" Sofia asked, The girl nodded her head and looked up at the princess. "I have no idea what you've been through… but I can promise you that what I am saying is no trick, and no lie. What I am saying is the truth, no one is gonna hurt you we want to help you."

Sofia reached out and gently took her hand, "please just come with us, we can get you cleaned up, and a nice bed. We just have a couple questions to ask you."

"Always starts with questions and ends with pain." The girl took her hand away.

"That won't happen." Sofia pushed herself back a bit to give the girl some space. "Just let me help you."

Sofia offered her hand to the girl, "come on and let me introduce you to the king. He is very nice and very wise he won't let anything happen to you I promise."

With a bit of hesitation, the girl reached up and took her hand. "Who are you again?"

"Princess Sofia, but you can just call me Sofia." Sofia gave the girl a soft smile.

"She's grown into the quiet the little queen hasn't she," Tilly praised as they watched Sofia's performance and saw that she was bringing the young girl over

"She has," Roland proclaimed proudly. "Guards hang back, we don't wanna scare her."

Sofia walked forward with the young girl behind her. "This is my father King Roland the Second." The child hide behind Sofia, "you don't have to be scared."

"Good evening young lady… I am King Roland pleasure to meet you." Roland spoke gently and calmly to the young girl. "We are gonna take you back to the palace and ask you a couple questions".

One guard stepped up with a child-sized pair of handcuffs. "We need to put these on her, you're highness."

"NO!" The girl snapped her and out of Sofia's grasp and backed away. "You said I wasn't gonna be locked up!"

"Calm down your not gonna be locked up," Roland answered. "We just need to put these on you for our protection."

"No no no!" The girl backed away and held her head in distressed. "Leave me alone! You're just gonna capture and torture me like all the others!"

"No one is gonna do that to you." Sofia reached out and grabbed her hand only to be pushed away. "Please listen to me."

"Quiet!" The girl snapped. "You're a liar, everyone is a liar, you just wanna hurt Ember again and….".

"Sleep," Everyone turned and looked at Tilly who surprisingly had a wand out. A small line of magic hit Ember in the chest and she collapsed to the ground asleep. "Sorry about that Sofia… I didn't want to do that after seeing you do so well."

"It's not your fault," said Sofia. "Dad what is gonna happen to her."

"Well, for now, she needs to answer some questions, then we need to figure out what to do with her," Roland answered truthfully. "Guards be very gentle with her and do not lock her in a cell give her a spare room in the castle and get her some soup waiting for her."

"Yes, sir!"

Sofia watched as the guards lifted the limp body up to her feet and carried her away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

 **Saturday Morning.**

 **Dunwiddie Forest 1 hour after the death of 14 guards.**

"There is nothing here?" A cute little voice proclaimed with a slight whine. A young girl with bright orange hair, wearing all black clothes and had large greens eyes, was on the scene.

"Hey!" One guard quickly moved towards this girl. "This is a crime scene young lady, someone as young as you should be in bed by now." He lightly scolded.

"What happened?" The guard sighed and gently spun the girl around and began to push her away.

"Look why don't you head on home before your mommy and daddy get worried about you." The orange haired child dug her heels into the dirt as she was pushed away.

"Just tell me what happened, I won't tell anyone I promise, were a lot of people killed here?" She asked.

"I cannot tell you that. Don't worry your little head over it." The guard watched the child slump her shoulders before she began to walk away. "Just follow the path and it will lead you back to the village."

"I know the way." The little girl pouted and walked off. Once she was far she quickly climbed up a tree and sat on a branch where a figure was waiting. "Yep, there was a lot of dead people there, a lot of blood."

"Did you find out where the ghoul went?" This figure had a black cloak over his body and he had a deep voice.

"Nope." The figure facepalmed himself. "Did I do something wrong?"

"For the love of God. Ivy, you had one job, find out where the ghoul we have been hunting had gone too and come back." Ivy crossed her arms over her chest.

"I tried too but they kicked me out but I do know where she is," Ivy answered.

"Realy where did she go?" Ivy smiled.

"TWo guards said that she had been taken to the castle on orders of the king," Ivy answered as she looked up at the figure with big eyes. "So do I get what you promised me?"

"I will buy you a candy bar once that girl is captured do you remember why we are here?" Ivy nodded her head.

"We kill ghouls and sell their eyes." The figure reached down and patted her head gently.

"Yes we do, now how do we get into the palace?" Ivy giggled at that.

"Well, I've always wanted to play princess Jimmy." The large figure groaned.

"My name is not Jimmy."

"I know." Ivy jumped up and onto the man's shoulder. "It is just more easy to say that than your real name."

"You do realize that obedience was part of the deal when I adopted you right?" Ivy pulled the hood of the man revealing a hard looking face with a short grey beard and mustache.

"You also said that I could have fun," Ivy smile slowly disappeared and was replaced with a wrong. 'Without a ghoul to kill I cannot have fun."

"Then you figure out if she is actually in the palace, do not engage if she is." Ivy cheered loudly and jumped off this mans shoulder and to the ground.

"Don't worry Jimmy!" Ivy gave the man a thumbs up. "I'll find where she is hiding faster than you can candy."

"Candy", Ivy pouted.

"You said it too fast!"

"Will, you just go and do your job!" Ivy disappeared from sight as she sprinted towards the royal palace.

The man's name was Jing- Shuan a former general known turned bounty hunter. A hunter that specialized in the killing of ghouls, the child was named Ivy. They were known across the dark parts of the world as, the grim reaper and his vicious raven of death. A duo with over 100 ghouls heads under their belts.

* * *

 **A Room In Enchantcia Castle.**

A girl by the name of Ember eyes slowly began to flutter open, "where am I?" She looked all around her and finally noticed that she was sleeping in a very comfortable bed. Ember rolled to her left and tried to leave the bed but noticed that her hand had been cuffed to a metal pole next to the bed.

"I see that you are awake now." Ember eyes turned towards the voice. Her eyes finally adjusted and she could make out a woman wearing a red dress and blond hair had just entered the room. "Are you doing alright?"

"Where am I?" Ember asked in a frightened voice.

"Well… right now you are in one of the many spare rooms in the palace." Tilly reached into her bag and pulled out a thermos. "Have you ever had hot chocolate?"

"What is chocolate?"

Tilly smiled as she poured two cups, "why don't you take a sip of this just don't drink it too fast."

"Can you take this cuff off of me please?" Tilly set their drinks down and pulled a key from her pocket.

"That depends on a couple things are you gonna try and leave?" Ember shook her head. "Ok." Tilly gladly uncuffed the girl's hand and then gave her a cup.

Ember held the cup in her hands for a while, enjoying the warmth coming off it. She gently held it to her lips and took a sip. Her eyes lite up like stars and a smile appeared on her face, "this is delicious!"

Tilly was happy to see the child's smile, " I'm very glad that you like it." Tilly reached into her bag and pulled out ink and paper. "If you don't mind I would like to ask you some questions."

"What kind of questions?" Ember asked.

"Well, I have a couple questions regarding you, and what happened last night," Tilly responded. "If there is a question that is too hard to answer or two personal then you do not have to answer it. Is that fair?"

"Can I ask you questions in return?" Tilly nodded her head yes. "Then I guess it is ok."

"Thank you very much. My first couple questions are very simple, are you a ghoul?"

Ember looked towards the ground, "yes… I am."

"How old are you?"

"10."

"Finally what is your full name."

"Ember Zamantha Bloodmoon." Tilly wrote it all into her notebook. "What is your name?"

"My name is Matilda but everyone calls me Tilly." Ember nodded her head. "Do you remember the events of last night?" Ember once again nodded her head. "Can you tell me what happened last night?"

"I…. I killed a lot of people." Ember whimpered.

"Do you remember the woman you fought last night?"

"Yes… she wanted to take me in and I was gonna hurt her to get away." Ember answered.

"Can I ask why you were eating that man last night or why you eat people in the first place?" Ember took a steady breath as her hands started to shake. "You don't have to answer the question."

Ember shook her head, "no…. It's fine…. Ghouls have to eat at least one person every 30 days, if we have more food then we don't have to, and we can go as long as 5 months without eating a person. But I didn't have anyone to give me food so I was always hungry… I didn't want to kill anyone but I had no choice."

"What happens if you don't eat a person?"

"It drives us… it makes us change, we become more monster than human and we do bad things." Ember reached up and wiped a tear from her eye. "I didn't wanna hurt anyone but I lose control of my hunger and then I hurt people."

"Do you wanna take a break?" Tilly asked.

"No."

"Ok," a knocking was heard as King Roland and Queen Miranda came into the room. "Ember this is King Roland and his wife Queen Miranda they wanted to join us is that ok?"

"It's their home. It would be disrespectful if I said no right." Miranda was quite impressed with her politeness.

"It is your choice, we want you to be as comfortable as possible." Roland pulled two chairs out and sat down. "If you want us to leave we will leave."

"You can stay," Ember answered.

"Thank you." Miranda took a seat on the edge of the bed Ember was in and gently patted her leg.

"Alright, are there more ghouls in the world?" Ember nodded her head.

"Our homeland is deep on the Mystic Isles. However, some ghouls have chosen to leave and stay here with people." Ember took a sip of her hot chocolate still amazed by the taste.

"Is there a way to distinguish between a ghoul and a human?" Miranda asked.

"Well as long as our eyes don't change and we don't use or powers or get caught then no," Ember answered.

"Is there anything special about your eyes?" Roland asked.

Ember took a deep breath and her eyes changed the area around her eyes turned black and her pupils became blood red. "They let us see in the dark better than any creature."

"May I ask a question?" Ember nodded her head towards King Roland. "What powers do ghouls have?"

"We have superhuman strength, speed, and agility, as well as very fast healing," Ember answered. "Although we have fast healing, we still feel the pain very much."

"I see, do you recall pulling an arrow out of your stomach while you fought a young woman?"

"Yes."

"Have you heard a legend regarding a powerful ghoul king from the past?"

Ember shook her head, "well no I don't know much about my homeland, I've been traveling this world for a long time."

"Do you have parents?" Tilly asked.

"Gone….", Ember began to shake a bit as tears flowed from her eyes. "I don't know who my parents are or where they went. All I know is I was kicked out of an orphanage for hurting a kid, I was tortured in so many kingdoms and now I'm here."

Miranda reached forward and patted the girl's shoulder. "Poor dear, you shouldn't have gone through any of that." Ember sniffled a bit before breaking down into tears.

"I hate this!" Ember cried in fury. "I hate killing people and I hate eating people! I don't wanna live this life anymore!"

The three adults watched as Ember's hair slowly began to turn snow white, "no no no no no! Stay inside!" Ember held her head in pain as her body violently shake.

"Ember!" Miranda looked on in concern.

"Sleep," Tilly pulled out her wand and hit her with the same basic sleep spell as before. Ember fell onto the bed asleep and her hair turned back to its black color. "Poor girl."

"She is suffering." Miranda gently pushed back Ember's hair. "What are we gonna do Roland?"

"Right now the only ones who know that Ember is a ghoul, are a couple members of the guard, ourselves and the children." Roland placed his hand on his chin in a thinking matter. "We couldn't just pretend that Ember isn't a ghoul, and keeping her in the palace could cause problems in the long run."

"And there is no promises that if we ask the guard, they would just stay quiet about this," Miranda added. "She seems like such a sweet girl, I would just hate for her to be any more pain because of what she is."

"Sofia did mention that Orion was coming today to see Ember perhaps he will know what to do," Roland answered.

"I can't believe it." Tilly looked down at Ember in amazement. "Ghouls are real, ghouls are mentioned in the legend of the reality stones. This could prove that the map I have to the time stone is real…. Do you think that Orion would let Ember stay with me?"

Roland turned towards his sister in surprise, "are you serious?"

"I always wanted someone I could call my own." Tilly smiled at her brother. "Besides I would rather she come and live with me, then possibly be sent back to her isle or even imprisoned."

* * *

 **2 hours later.**

.  
Sofia had met Orion and Chrysta on the steps of the palace, "Princess Sofia, a pleasure to see you again."

"Nice you see you again Orion," Sofia said politely.

"I did some digging and found out that while the story of the ghoul king is nothing more than a legend. The ghouls do exist across EveRealm and the isles. They had dwindled in numbers over the years but they do exist." Orion explained.

"Then how come there are no records of their existence other than stories?" Sofia asked.

"The idea of beings that are forced to feed on others for their powers to work, would put fear in the hearts of many. So the council agreed to hide their existence from the whole world as long as the ghouls didn't go overboard and try anything deemed evil. If a ghoul was caught then it would be put to death."

"What is gonna happen to Ember?" Sofia asked in concern.

"I would like to meet her before I give my information to the council right now only I and Chrysta know," Orion answered.

"What happens after you meet her." The young protector asked.

"After that, I will pass judgment and either I bring her with me to face higher judgment from the council. Or we try and figure something else out." Sofia sighed a bit in relief.

The group arrived at the room where Ember waiting and King Roland was waiting outside. "Orion pleasure to have you back in Enchantcia."

"The honor is all mine," Orion replied with a bow of respect. "I understand that there was an event that happened last night, which ended in the deaths of 14 guards and 1 man correct."

"Sadly yes." King Roland answered. "I do not believe that she was in true control of her powers to an extent."

"Allow me to meet with her," Orion answered.

"As you wish." Roland opened the door, and the angel-winged man walked inside and closed the door behind him.

"You must be the little ghoul I have been hearing about." Ember jumped as she faced the larger man. "Do not be alarmed I just wanna talk to you."

"Don't worry," Tilly replied. "Orion is a wise man he is not here to hurt you."

"I understand that you have been killing people." Ember looked towards the ground in shame. "I just have one question for you. Do you regret what you have done?"

"Of course!" Ember cried out. "I don't wanna hurt anyone, but without food of some kind I lose control and go on a frenzy!"

"I wanna make sure of that." Orion held up his hand and it slowly became yellow. "Tell me the truth."

"What do you me…." Ember's eyes went yellow and she seemed to be almost in a trance. "Asl me your questions and I will answer them."

"Truth magic." Tilly looked on in surprise. Truth magic was an extremely high level of magic that only someone who is skilled in light magic can use. "Is this necessary?"

"Yes," Orion responded. "Tell me do you really regret the pain and death you have caused?"

"I am deeply sorry, every since I was born I had no one and everyone was scared of me. I couldn't control my powers so everyone thought I was a demon. If I didn't feed on humans I would die, and I don't wanna die. I love the animals on this earth, and when the people hated me, the animals cared for me." Ember answered.

"How many people have you killed?" Tilly rose to her feet.

"Orion enough you are going too far!" Tilly snapped.

"I have lost count, I feed once every month or I risk death and I have been tortured by the humans that have captured me. Those who tried to kill me I have killed them in self-defense." Orion let out a steady breath, this magic took a lot out of him.

"Do ghouls only feet people?"

"From what I know yes, I do not know much about my people only what seems to be a book my parents left for me."

"Where is the book?"

"I no longer have it. It was stolen from me when I was 6 years old." Orion waved his hand and his spell broke and he dropped to one knee, and Ember fell back in bed very tired. Once Orion had recovered, he stood to his feet.

"She is being more than truthful Matilda," Orion spoke.

"Just call me Tilly." Tilly helped Ember back to a sitting position. "What is gonna happen now?"

"Well… I will not be taking her into the council. I just need to figure out what to do with her now." Orion answered.

"I'll take her off your hands." Orion turned towards Tilly who was gently rubbing her back. "I want to adopt her as my own."

"Are you sure that is a wise idea?" Orion asked.

"I am very sure," Tilly answered.

"Alright you can do as you please, but she is under your care if anything happens you are gonna be held responsible." Tilly nodded her head.

"You mean that?" Tilly looked down at Ember with a smile. Ember had tears running down her face, "you wanna take me your child?"

"I do." Tilly gently wiped a tear from Ember's eye. "I really truly do, you deserve so much better than what you have gotten."

Ember began to cry tears of joy as she spun around and hugged Tilly. "Thank you!"

"You are very welcome." Tilly hugged her tightly

* * *

 **One Hour Before Orion Arrived.**

A young child by the name of Jenny had been given a once and a lifetime offer. She had been an orphan in The Dunwiddie Orphanage for a while now, and her wonderful work effort around the village. Had reached the palace, and thanks to Queen Miranda she had been offered a job to work with the castle staff! Jenny had gotten her belongings together in a suitcase and was waiting for the couch to come to get her. "Hey, are you Jenny?" Jenny turned to her left and saw a bright-eyed, orange haired girl come running over to her.

"Yes I am, and who might you be?" Jenny asked.

"I heard your good at helping people, can you help me really fast." The girl had tears in her eyes. "I lost my puppy somewhere in the woods over there, I need someone to help me find him."

"Of course," Jenny dropped her suitcase and quickly followed the girl to where her puppy was. She led her deep into the woods and out of sight. "What was his name?"

Jenny let out a started cry as the girl wrapped one arm around her neck, "Sorry about this but I have some investigating to do and with you going to the palace like everyone keeps saying. You are just what I need!" Jenny tried to scream but then her neck was snapped!

Ivy let go of the girl and watched her limp body fall to the dirt, "oh wait… I wasn't so supposed to kill you…. Oh well!" Ivy took Jenny's clothes off of her and licked her lips. "Now to get rid of the evidence." Ivy dragged the poor girl's body to the edge of a river and pushed her in.

Once she had gotten dressed she waited for a coach to come and pick her up. "You must be Jenny correct." A certain well-dressed older man came out of the coach. "My name is Baileywick the castle steward it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you very much Mr. Baileywick." Ivy did her best curtsey. "Can we leave as soon as possible I wanna get started in the palace as soon as I can."

"Eager to work I see." Baileywick opened the door for the child. "Well, you will begin working in a couple days. The staff is very excited to meet you."

Ivy giggled, "I am very glad to be of service."

Once they had arrived and Ivy had gotten the chance to met the staff, a really nice band of workers. She had been given a very nice little room, a couple of dresses for work and for her days off. She had changed and pulled out her a small wand, "open." A small mirror portal opened and Ivy waved at Jing-Shuan. "Jimmy!"

"Are you in the palace?"

"Yep, I killed a girl and took her job here," Ivy whispered.

"You killed a girl!"

Ivy quickly shushed him, "don't yell your gonna get me caught."

"For the love of God Ivy!" Jing-Shuan snapped. "I said don't kill anyone!"

"Well, I couldn't get the job without her dead." Ivy snapped right back. "Don't worry her body is in the river near the Dunwiddie Orphanage, can you get it and do something to it?"

Jing-Shuan sighed, "fine but DO NOT kill anyone else and DO NOT engage that ghoul if it is there."

"Ok… do you still love me?" Ivy asked.

"You are my apprentice, of course, I love you," Jing-Shuan remarked.

"Then you need to trust me, I will let you know when I find that ghoul or any information I find out, bye bye", Ivy hung up her call and hid her wand in her sock. Ivy left her room and asked Baileywick if she could meet her employers as well as help serve dinner tonight.

"Are you sure you wanna jump right into the kitchen staff already? You don't have to do that today." Ivy nodded her head yes with a huge smile on her face.

"I'm not used to sitting down you see. I need to be on my feet doing something or I don't feel right. I also wanna thank the king and queen for giving me this wonderful job." Baileywick smiled at the young lady.

"Well if you can hold your excitement for dinner tonight, you can meet the royal family tonight." Ivy curtseyed to Baileywick before turning around with a smirk on her face.

* * *

 **Dinner That Night.**

"Why is everyone staring at me?" Ember asked frightened as she looked back and forth between the staff as she and Tilly made their way to the dining hall.

"Well I suppose they wanna know who you are, you are a very new and cute face." Ember blushed at Tilly's remark.

"Do they know what I am?" Tilly shook her head.

"If you want to tell people who you are, then I will support you will all my heart. If you chose to keep in a secret then I will support that as well." Tilly spoke quietly.

"What about the king and queen are they gonna tell anyone what about the guard!" Tilly gently took Ember by her shoulders. "Don't worry, they are under orders from the king himself not to leak anything that they saw, and my brother does wanna tell his children. Look at me Ember." Ember looked up at her new mother. "No one is gonna try and hurt you and if someone trys they will have me to deal with."

Ember gave a soft smile that slowly formed into a frown, "why are you helping me like this… what do you get?"

"Well I get a daughter, and I wanted to help you after hearing your story." Tilly reached out and gently rubbed her check. "I am not doing this for my personal gains. I am doing this for you."

Tilly stood up and offered Ember her hand, "come on we don't wanna be late for dinner."

"Ok", Ember glady took her hand and asked a question. "Am I a princess?"

"Yes you are." Ember's eyes lite up.

Once the dup had arrived to the doors of the dining room Ember stopped walking. "What if no one likes me?"

"You've already met The King and Queen as well as their daughter Sofia. I am sure that Amber and James would love to meet you." Tilly gave her a hug. "Trust me you are in very fine hands now."

Ember took a deep breath and she and Tilly headed inside of the dining room. "Who is that daddy?" Princess Amber asked.

"Well Amber and James this is Ember." Tilly led Ember to the table. "And she is your new cousins, I am going to adopt her."

"Seriously." Amber exclained in glee.

"Brilliant," James added.

"Ember meet, James and Amber, and you have already met Sofia." Tilly introduced.

Roland had asked Baileywick to keep everyone out while he had a very important conversation with his children.

"So you're a ghoul?" James asked in amazement.

"Yes," Ember said softly. "I didn't mean to do all of the things I've done, you have no idea how bad I feel about it. I'm a monster."

"We've meet monsters before," Amber spoke up. "We've meet evil people, people who wanted the worse, and you are not a monster."

"I agree." James added, "you aren't a horrible person."

"Now that that's taken care of how about we get something to eat, and get to know the newest member of our family." Roland clapped his hands and the doors came out and the first dishes were being brought in. Along with the servers was a little girl with a bright smile on her face.

"Ah, your majesties this young lady is Jenny." Baileywick intruduced.

"Finally we meet." Miranda gave the girl a bright smile. "Jenny, I am so happy to meet you, we heard so much about your work effort all around the village and wanted to give you something in return."

Ivy bowed her head towards the queen and king. "You have done so much for me and I am so greatful for what you have done. I promise that I will do my best here at the palace each and every day of my life."

"No need for that Jenny," Roland answered. "We know that you are gonna be a wonderful addition to our staff."

"Thank you, your majesties, now if you excuse me I have more to do tonight." Ivy bowed one more time and left the room. As she left for a slight second she and Ember locked eyes and both of them thought the same thing.

"Where have I seen you before?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

 **After Dinner.**

"What do you think of Ember?" This was something that Sofia and Amber did once a week with each other. They would enjoy a nice warm bath together every Saturday Night, just to talk to each other.

Amber sighed a bit, "I know that I said that she wasn't a monster during dinner… but Sofia. She killed so many people over her years, I get that she had no choice because of what she is. But… what happens if she loses control, what happens if she tries to eat one of us."

"You heard Aunt Tilly during dinner, as long as Ember has other things to eat she won't have to eat a human for 5 months." Sofia countered.

"And what then Sofia?" Amber sunk deeper into the warm calming waters. "What happens after that, what if she loses control in those 5 months and hurt Aunt Tilly?"

Sofia reached out and took her sister's hand, "I don't think that will happen, I know and trust aunt Tilly. She wouldn't have taken Ember in if she didn't know what she was doing."

"This all just really new…. And kinda of scary," Amber admitted. "Just yesterday the first time I heard of ghouls was in the story Aunt Tilly told us. Then daddy says that something has been killing people, and now we have a ghoul as a cousin."

"I see what you mean, Ember seems to be such a nice girl and yesterday she was in so much pain over the lives she had taken. I wanna get to know her more and give her the childhood she never really had." Sofia said.

"Well if there is anyone that can show her a good time, it would be Aunt Tilly," Amber said with a giggle.

A loud knocking was heard on the door, "it Aunt Tilly."

"Come in," Sofia called back.

Aunt Tilly came into the bath chambers with a very nervous Ember behind her, "good evening girls, I wanted to know if Ember could you two for a dip in the water?"

"It's fine if you say no I can't wait for you to get out." Ember quickly added.

"No problem," Sofia answered with a smile. "It would be nice to get to know you a little more right Amber."

"Yes, it would," Amber said with a bit hesitation

"Thank you," Tilly kneeled down and placed her hands on her Ember's shoulders. "Don't worry you are in good hands with these two."

"Wait, you're not gonna stay?" Ember said in a frightened voice.

"Don't worry, I am not going anywhere, I just have a couple things to take care of." Tilly gently rubbed her new daughter's cheek. "I promise that will be back."

"Ok," Ember said softly.

"Atta girl." Tilly stood up and helped Ember undress and into the water, before taking her leave from the room.

"Oh my God!" Ember almost melted as she slowly relaxed in the warm water. "This is amazing.'

"I'm guessing you don't really get warm baths like this huh?" Amber asked.

"No way, I would be lucky if I somehow found a hot spring," Ember answered with a wide smile on her face. "You guys are so lucky, you can have anything you want when you want it. You get so much good food to eat and sweet drinks."

"Well, now you have those things too," Sofia told the girl.

"I know…. But I don't deserve this." Ember sighed and looked down at her reflection in the water. "You girls probably think I'm a monster, you said I wasn't to make me feel better… didn't you?"

"Well, you do kind of eat people," Amber replied lightly earning a sharp poke from Sofia right on her side.

"I know… and I know that you two are scared that I might hurt someone." Ember held her head up and gave them a very small smile. "You don't have to be scared of me. I don't wanna hurt anyone else anymore."

"I'm not scared of you." Ember looked over at Sofia with a questioning look. "Ok. I was scared of you at first… only because I didn't know you. But when I talked to you that night, I wasn't scared anymore."

"Your way to nice to me Princess Sofia," Ember answered with a giggle.

"You can just call me Sofia we are family now," said Sofia.

"Ok… Sofia." Ember smile brightened a bit.

"Can you show us your powers?" Amber suddenly asked. "I think if I could see your powers then I could be more at ease."

"Sure no problem." Ember closed her eyes and then opened them. The space in her eyes was now all black leaving a bright red pupil. "These eyes of mine can see way better in the darkness than any animal in the world." Ember stood up from the bath and turned around. She took a deep breath and to shock of Amber and Sofia four red like tails grew from her lower back.

"This is my power, I can summon these tails from my body on will. I can make them sharper than this and they are stronger than stone." Ember pulled them back inside and sat back down. "I can also heal really fast."

"Doesn't that ruin clothes?" Amber asked.

"Yeah but I never really cared about that, I always wore tattered clothes so I didn't care," Ember answered.

The three girls relaxed in the water for a while, having a pleasant conversation. "Hey, Ember… can I ask a kind of personal question?"

"Go ahead," Amber took a deep breath.

"What is it like to eat a human?" Ember sighed heavily.

"I don't know how to describe it, I hate doing it so I try and take out bad people, but sometimes I lose control and forgot what happened." Ember reached up and rubbed her eye. "Believe me when I say that I hate it, I hate doing what I do, and I am so glad that my nightmare is over."

"I'm glad too," Amber replied. "How about tomorrow me, James and Sofia show you a good time."

"That would be wonderful," Ember answered with a huge smile on her face.

"Great." The three girls spent the rest of that getting to know each other a little better. Once they had finished and gotten changed, (Ember borrowing one of Sofia's nightdresses) the children meet in Sofia's room for a game before bedtime.

During their game, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," Sofia called out.

Ivy came into the room with a platter of milk and chocolate chip cookies. "Good evening your majesties, the king and queen thought that you 4 would wanna a little snake."

"Alright." James stood to his feet and took the platter from Ivy. "Why don't you join us for a new game Jenny."

"Oh no I couldn't," Ivy quickly bowed towards James. "I couldn't possibly join royalty."

"Nonsense," Amber patted the space next to her. "We have more than enough room and more than enough cookies for you to come and join us."

"If you allow it then I will join you, thank you for the opportunity," Ivy answered politely.

It was a fun night for the 5 children with Ivy showing a little more of her more childlike side. Showing her love for chocolate and games. "Jenny, have we meet somewhere before?" Ember asked after a while.

"Now that you mention it Princess Ember, it does seem like we have locked eyes before," Ivy answered as she ate another cookie. "Maybe you passed by the orphanage or have seen me in town."

"Maybe," Ember answered. "How long have you been at that orphanage?"

"Let's see," Ivy put her hand on her cheek in a thinking matter. "For me while." Since Ivy honestly had no idea how long Jenny had been in that orphanage. However, Ivy didn't see Sofia give her a slight glance. "I am just really really glad to be working her now, and I am so grateful for the king and queen for giving me this chance." The group played their game a for a little longer until Baileywick came in.

"Good evening, I was sent to inform you that it is bedtime." Ember groaned at that.

"But we were just starting to have so much fun." Ember pouted a bit.

"Don't worry we are all gonna see each other tomorrow for even more fun." Sofia reminded. "Jenny if you want you could also join us."

"I couldn't do that Princess Sofia, I have work to do tomorrow." Ivy reminded.

"Perhaps you could join us after you have finished your chores?" Jame proposed.

"I will see if I can." Ivy stood to her feet and bowed. "Have a good nights sleep," Ivy grabbed the platter they had brought in and made her way towards the kitchens.

"Something isn't right," Sofia said once Ivy had left. "Why doesn't Jenny remember me?"

"What do you mean Sof?" James asked.

"I've known Jenny for almost a year now, she is great friends with Jade and Ruby. I'm just confused on why she doesn't seem to recognize me," Sofia explained.

"Maybe she is just trying to be politely, for now, maybe she is afraid that if she messes up that she might have to leave." Amber proposed.

Sofia shook her head, "something just doesn't feel right."

* * *

Ember was lost, she had no idea how to get back to the room she had been staying with and she seemed to be walking around in circles. Ember turned a corner and was knocked down to her backside, she looked up and saw a very stern looking captain Matthew standing there. "G-Good Evening."

Matthew looked down at the child with a glare on his face, "hello demon, or should I say Princess Ember!" Matthew stepped over the girl and made his way down the hallway. "I have no idea that the Duchess is thinking, adopting a monster that killed 14 of my men and countless others!"

Ember flinched at the stern words she was receiving, "I-I didn't mean."

Matthew spun on his heels and back over to the girl before lifting her off the ground and slamming her into the wall. "You didn't mean to do what! Kill my men?! Kill people?! I don't know what you are, but what I do know is this. If it was up to me I would kill you right now!"

Ember's eyes went wide and she began to shake with fear as tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Captian Matthew!" A loud stern voice filled the hallway as King Roland came around the corner. "Put her down this instant!"

Matthew let go of Ember sending her falling hard to the floor, "your majesty I have served you loyally for almost 12 years, and you are allowing that thing to stay here. She killed my men, men with family and friends!"

"She had no control over her powers at that moment and you stated that for a fact!" Roland answered. "I think it is time for you to leave."

"Yes, my king!" Matthew said bowed before walking off for the rest of his patrol. "Demon girl!"

Roland rushed over to Ember's side and placed a hand on her shoulder, "are you ok?"

Ember eye went wide in fear as she sniffles as tears rushed down her face. "I don't deserve to be here, he is right. I am nothing more than a demon!"

Ember jumped a bit as Roland pulled her into a tight embrace, "don't say that," Roland answered firmly. "You are not a demon and you are not a monster." Roland released his hold on the girl. "Come with me, I wanna show you something." Roland offered Ember his hand.

Ember was a bit hesitant, "I don't know… wouldn't Ms. Tilly get upset with me if I wasn't back at my room for bed."

Roland smile, "well I could just say that I give you an order as the king to come and spend some time with your wonderful new uncle."

A giggle slipped from Ember's mouth as she grabbed his hand, "where are we going?"

"The Observatory." Roland chuckled a bit as Ember looked up at him with a puzzled look. "An observatory is a place where we can look at the stars, have you ever looked at the stars from a telescope?"

"No, sir." Roland smiled a bit more.

"I have a feeling that you will like it," Roland remarked as he left with his new niece.

The second they walked in, Ember was overwhelmed as she looked up at the ceiling in pure amazement. "They look so much clearer up here!"

"Ember", the girl turned and looked towards Roland. "Come and take a look through here."

The black hair girl happily ran over and looked through the telescope, "everything is so close, it's almost like I'm there!"

Once Ember's excitement had calmed down, Roland had her sit in a chair across from him. "Ember…," Roland began gently. "How are you doing?"

"I was doing fine until that guard scared me like that." Ember looked up at the ceiling admiring the stars. "Princess Sofia, Princess Amber, and Prince James are so kind to me and invited me to come and play with them tomorrow."

"Please excuse what Matthew did to you," said Roland.

"It's not his fault," Ember defended. "He was right, I killed his men and that was wrong. No matter what is said I have killed so many people and I hate that." Ember's hands began to shake a bit as she looked down at them. "The blood on my hands is what scares me the most".

Roland reached out and gently took her hands in her own. "Look at me Ember." Ember looked up at King Roland and was surprised how warm and welcoming his eyes looked. "I cannot say anything that could make you feel better for the death you have caused in your past. However, if you allow the seeds of your past to grow bigger. The more pain you will feel, see this as a brand new day run wild with it and enjoy what this new life has to offer."

Ember looked up at Roland in surprise as tears began to fill her eyes, "I can be free from my past?"

"Of course you can if there is one thing that Sofia has taught me is that everyone deserves a second chance." Roland reached out and wiped the tears from Ember's eyes. "My sister really cares about you Ember, it may seem a bit rushed and everything may seem so new to you. However, believe me when I say this, as long as we are here. No one is gonna hurt you ever again."

At that moment the doors to the conservatory opened up and Tilly came walking in. "There you are?" Tilly walked over to the duo. "I was looking for your Ember."

Ember reached up and wiped her tears away, "sorry the King wanted me to spend a little time with him."

"That is perfectly fine." Tilly almost immediately noticed that something was wrong. "Did something happen before I came?"

"I'm just happy," Ember said with a sniffle. "For the first time, I can start over and be a kid instead of running across the world."

Tilly smile as she walked over and hugged her daughter, "I am very happy to hear that, now I believe it is time for a certain someone to get some rest."

Ember yawned, "but I'm not tired just yet."

"Now now." Tilly gently tapped her sister on her noes. "Sleep is something that everyone needs, especially a young lady like you."

"Ok," said Ember, "goodnight King Roland."

"Please call me Uncle Roland now," Roland gave the young ghoul a warm hug. "Have a good night young lady."

Once Tilly and Ember had made it back to Ember's room, Tilly tucked her new daughter into bed. "Get some rest Ember, knowing my nieces and nephew you are gonna have a wonderful yet fun day tomorrow."

Ember for the first time in years actually relaxed her body. "It's so weird," She said weakly. "For the first time in a long time, I can sleep without fear of being hunted." Ember's snuggled deeper into the covers. Ember was asleep in seconds with a soft smile on her face.

* * *

Ivy was surprised when one of the head maids named Violet came into her room and offered to tuck her into bed. Ivy accepted to be nice but once Violet had left, Ivy was back out of her bed. She waited for the lights to go across the palace as everyone began to go to sleep. Ivy took her nightdress off, and with a wave of her wand, she changed back into her black clothes. Ivy opened the window to her room and leaped out of it, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small device. She hit a button and that small device quickly grew into a huge scythe

5 feet in length and the curved blade was 4 feet in length as well. Ivy spun her prized weapon into the air and slammed it into the side of the palace. She carefully slides herself down the palace wall, jumping window on the lower levels. Ivy pressed the same button as before and her weapon folded back down into a pen-sized device. Ivy pulled her hood up over her head and quickly ran towards a certain office she needed to look at.

She may act really silly at times, however, she was one of the smartest kids in the world. And the thing that gives her such an edge was her ability to memorize locations. Including King Roland's office, she came to a stop outside of the door and tried the handle. The door cracked open and one light was on. Ivy listened carefully for any sound, hearing nothing she walked into the office and began to look through his desk drawers. "Let's see, caster personal no, safety measures no, murder investigations over the last view days no….".

"What are you doing!" Ivy pulled her head further over her head covering her whole face and stood up. King Roland was standing in the doorway with Tilly by his side with her wand by her side. Ivy's carefully made her way from behind King Roland's desk with her hands up. "I asked you a question what are you doing?"

Ivy said nothing, "my brother asked you a question, I think it would be wise if you answered it." With the speed of a cat, Ivy spun around and ran towards the window. Shattered glass heard as she jumped out of the window. "Get the guards!" Tilly said. Ivy grabbed the railing and jumped into the air grabbing onto another window and climbing inside. Ivy made a mad dash back to the room she was staying in. She took off her black clothes and changed back into nightdress she was wearing. She used a spell and set her old clothes on fire and threw them out of her window, before getting under the covers and pretending like she was asleep.

"Dang it." Ivy thought. "Looks like we have to do this the boring way."

* * *

 **30 minutes later.**

"Your majesty we did a full sweep of the castle, and have found nothing," Matthew reported.

"Thank you, Matthew, do one more check and you may bring this search to an end. Then you and your men can enjoy the night." Roland ordered as he checked through all of his files. "Nothing is gone," Roland confirmed.

"Are you sure," Tilly asked standing watch, at the window side.

"Yes, everything is still here we probably caught whoever it was in the act." Roland pulled out the file he had made on Ember. "Tilly hold on to this."

Tilly walked over and took the file from him, "what if they were looking for Ember?"

"We won't let anything happen to her Tilly," Roland said firmly. "As long as we are here she will be fine."

"Anything could happen," Tilly took a seat in one of the chairs, "what do you think they were looking for?"

"If it was a thief probably a key to the castle treasury but then they would have to get past the griffins." Roland placed a hand on his chin. "This is my fault, I let my guard down after all this peace I didn't think I needed to lock my office."

"This isn't your fault baby brother, just be glad that we came back soon and stopped them." Tilly gave a soft smile. "Just keep this room locked and I trust that the guard will do its job and keep this palace safe."

Roland smiled at his older sister, "keep that file Tilly, it has everything that we know about Ember so far and seeing that she is your daughter. You should keep it safe."

"I will," Tilly promised.

"How long until you leave?"

"Well I still wanna find that treasure and the time stone, and since my wonderful nieces and nephew are ready for an adventure. I will still for a long while." Tilly put the file into her back and then pulled out the map she had found. "If ghouls are real, that gives me, even more, hope that the reality stones are real."

"What would you even do with the time stone?" Tilly smiled.

"I don't want to keep the time stone baby brother, just having it and knowing that reality stones are real would change so much history." Roland gave his sister an, 'I do not believe you', look. "Okay and maybe I want to go back and time… and maybe even forward in time."

The brother and sister spent some time catching up on some old memorize, finally, Matthew came back. "My men from the outside just reported in no one was found and the castle has been checked from top to bottom no one us here."

"Thank you, Captian Matthew, you can tell your men to get some sleep. Also, I want security in the palace raised a bit." Matthew bowed to his king. "Also my children are planning on showing Ember a good time tomorrow. Please have your best men watching them I'd rather something not happen."

"Yes my king," Matthew turned on his heels and left the room.

It was a busy night and everyone was glad to get much-needed sleep.

 **A/N Let me know what you think of this.**

 **Also I wanna explain why there are so many new chapters coming out. Right now I am on break from college, and right now I am just trying to get as many chapters out before I get back to work at school.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Ember's eyes began to slowly flutter open, and she let out a loud yawn. "So it wasn't a nightmare." Ember sat up in her bed and looked around. "I'm actually still here." Ember's eye adjusted and on the end of her bed was a nice looking red dress. Ember climbed from her bed and took the dress in her hands. "Is this mine?"

There was a knock on the door and one of the castle maids stuck her head inside. "I see you are awake Princess Ember."

"You can just call me Ember, I am no princess." The maid came inside of the room. "May I ask what your name is?"

"Yes, my name is Suzette and I will be helping you get dressed this morning," Suzette responded with a curtsey.

"Please don't do that Ms. Suzette," Ember put her hands up in front of her. "Only royalty deserves that and I am no royal." Her eyes wandered back to the new dress in her hands. "And I certainly don't deserve this dress."

"Princess Ember, you must have more confidence in yourself. When Duchess Tilly took you in, you became a princess. You deserve so much more than you have been given." Ember's eyes went wide for a second.

"You know my past?" Suzette nodded her head.

"Yes I do, the Duchess told us this morning how she had adopted you after finding you alone in the woods the other night." Ember let out a sigh of relief. Looks like Tilly had given her a new story. "Wandering in the cold for years eating whatever scraps of food you can get. I am sorry that you had to go through that."

"I'm just glad that it is over," Ember answered with a smile.

"Now come along Princess Ember we need to get you dressed and ready for breakfast. The royal children have an amazing day planned for you," Suzette told the girl as she led her to one of the bathrooms. "First thing is first we need to get those knots out of your hair and get it nice and clean."

Suzette took her time as she combed and washed Ember shoulder length black hair, once that was finished she got her dressed and then she took Ember back to her room where Tilly was waiting for her. "I see that dress fits you nicely," Tilly complimented.

"Good morning Ms. Tilly," Ember greeted.

"None of that now Ember just call me mom now," Tilly answered as she hugged her new daughter. "Now come along I had the chefs whip up a wonderful breakfast for you this morning."

Sofia had turned a corner and bumped into someone knocking them both to the ground. "Oh no!" Sofia looked and Ivy was standing there in front of her. "My apologies Princess Sofia I didn't mean for that to happen!"

"No, it's my fault I should have been watching where I was going, Jenny." Sofia stood to her feet and dusted off her dress. She looked down at Jenny and noticed that there was a scar across her forehead. "Jenny, did something happen?"

"What do you mean my princess?" Sofia reached forward and placed her hands on her shoulders.

"Jenny stops with the princess thing it's just me and you right now, you can call me Sofia like you did in the village." Ivy nodded her head. "And why are your eyes and hair color different?"

"You mean to tell me she was friends with that girl!" Ivy thought. "Oh great, what do I do now!"

"I'm sorry Sofia," Ivy noticed that Sofia was staring at the scar on her forehead. "I was in a bit of an accident a week ago."

"What happened!" Sofia asked in concern.

"Well, I meet a naughty little witchling a week ago, she changed my eyes and hair color like this. Before accidentally hitting me with a powerful spell that sent me crashing into a tree. Giving me this scar, I don't really remember much of anything." Ivy gasped as Sofia pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm ok now Sofia I promise."

"I'm just sad that happened to you," Sofia explained.

Ivy smiled glad her plan had worked for now, "thank you Sofia." Ivy broke their hug, "sorry I didn't recognize you at first, I still don't remember a couple things."

"No problem Jenny, if you want I can try and help you get the rest of your to memories back", Sofia suggested.

Ivy shook head, "that is quite alright Sofia, every day that does by the more and more my memory comes back to me. I should be fine in a couple of days."

"I am glad to hear that Jenny… you can still join me, James, Amber, and Ember today if you want." Ivy shook her head.

"I have chores to take care of today, Ms. Violet is gonna show me around the castle and get me started on some jobs in the palace." Sofia nodded her head in an understanding matter.

"That ok I'll see you around Jenny." Sofia waved as she headed to the dining room.

"Bye Sofia," Ivy waved back.

"Oh, I almost forgot, you'll be at the village this evening won't you?" Sofia asked as she turned around. "It's the founders day celebrations."

"I will Sofia," Ivy answered. "I wouldn't miss it for the world." Ivy watched Sofia walk away and facepalmed. "How on earth am I supposed to get out of that!"

"Ember please eat a little slower… no one is gonna take away the pancakes or syrup." Tilly couldn't help but giggle at the scene in front of her. Ember had fallen in love with pancakes from the first bite, in fact, she fell in love with almost all of the food they had for breakfast.

"Sorry," Ember blushed a bit, "there just so good, I've never had anything like them before in my life!"

"If you like those just wait to see what I am having prepared for lunch," Amber remarked.

"So what do you three have planned for Ember today?" Miranda asked.

"Well… we can't say much since it is still a surprise." James said with a grin.

"Just know that it is gonna be a fun day," Sofia concluded.

Once breakfast was over Sofia, James and Amber led Ember outside to the first of many things they had planned. "Ember meets, Mr. Cedric the Great our royal sorcerer," Sofia proudly introduced. "He is gonna perform one his world-famous magic shows."

"Princess Sofia it isn't world famous," Cedric walked over to Ember. "Pleasure to meet you Ember, Princess Sofia has told me all about you."

Ember turned towards Sofia, "all about me?"

"Not everything," Sofia asked. "Just about how aunt Tilly adopted you and how you never have seen a magic show before."

"And I cannot put on a magic show," Sofia yelped a bit as a wave from Cedric wand got her changed into her sorceress robes. "Without my assistance."

"It would be my pleasure," Sofia said as Cedric gave her a wand.

Once everything was set up Ember was shaking her head a bit, "you cannot pull a rabbit from that hat."

"Are you sure about that?" Cedric questioned as he reached into the hat and in a flash, he pulled a certain rabbit named Clover out of his hat.

"Ok you had that rabbit in there the whole time," Ember concluded.

"Oh really… what if I did this", Cedric held the hat out in front of him and tapped the bottom of it with his wand and flock of white doves flew out.

"The doves were inside with the rabbit," Ember said as her eyes slowly grew wide.

Sofia giggled a bit as she took the hat and walked over to Ember, "why don't you look inside of the hat," She proposed.

"I know how this works, its a bottomless hat like how Ms. Tilly has a bottomless bag," Ember said in a matter of factly tone. Ember put her hand inside of the hat and was stunned to find it was a normal hat. "That isn't possible!"

Sofia tapped the bottom of the hat with her wand, and Ember jumped as a blast of confetti. Ember looked up in confusing before she began to laugh with glee. "So does that answer all your doubts?"

"Yes," Ember said with a nod. "Please do more."

The next hour was that of awe and amazement for Ember as Cedric truly went all out in this magic show. After wishing Cedric a goodbye, Ember was led to a flying carriage, "where are we going now?"

"We're gonna take a trip," Sofia answered.

"Where?"

"You'll find out," Amber answered.

"What are we gonna do?"

"You'll find out," said James as the carriage took flight.

"Quick question Ember are you afraid of animals?" Ember shook her head. "Then you are you gonna love the next place we are going too," Amber remarked.

Ember was once again in true awe at what she was seeing. She had never been this high in the air, heck she had never been in a flying carriage before. "You guys get to ride in this anytime you want?"

"Yes, as long as we get permission first," James answered.

"How do you like flying Ember?" Sofia asked.

"It is both awesome and very scary at the same time," Ember stuck her whole head out of one of the windows. Enjoying the feeling of the wind crashing against her head.

"Young lady please put keep your head in the carriage at all time," the guard that had been sent along with them, Jason Scott said.

"Sorry," Ember pulled her head back in as she looked across the landscape that was flying by. "Who is gonna be the next ruler of Enhancia?" Ember suddenly asked.

"Well Amber is the oldest," said Sofia.

"And believe me I will make a wonderful queen of this land," Amber proclaimed proudly. "Why do you ask?"

"I was just thinking how lucky you are to be the ruler of a land as great as this one," Ember said. "Do you have any idea what it is gonna be like living with your aunt?"

"Well I think you are gonna be traveling a lot and going on many adventures," James said.

"Aunt Tilly loves adventure", Sofia added. "Your gonna have a lot of fun living with her."

"I've traveled a lot but for all the wrong reasons," Ember sighed. "I spent so much time running around I never took the chance to stop and enjoy my life."

"How many villages have you been too?" James asked.

"I've lost count, so many villages and I have seen so many parties and celebrations but I never had a chance to enjoy one." Ember didn't notice Sofia give James and Amber a huge smile. Dunwiddie was celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the village. They were gonna enjoy a couple hours in the Enchanted Animal Park. King Roland had sent a message to Miss Elodie asking if she could give them a tour. Which she gladly accepted wanting to meet this new child of Enchancia. The village would be starting their celebration in the evening.

After a bit of a trip, the carriage began it's descent into the enchanted animal park, "where are we?"

"This is the enchanted animal park," Sofia explained. "We are gonna go on a bit of an adventure through the park."

The children stepped out of the carriage to find Miss Elodie waiting for them, "Ember this is one of our old teachers at Royal Prep, Miss Elodie." Amber introduced.

"You must be the young lady that King Roland told me about in his letter," Miss Elodie proclaimed. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Hello," Ember said shyly. "It is nice to meet you too."

"Come along, we have a lot to see and little time to do it," Miss Elodie announced.

* * *

 **Back at the palace.**

The tour that Violet had given Ivy was more than enough for the girl who quickly memorized most of the palace. "Ms. Violet has anything happened in the last couple of days?"

"No not really Jenny, aside from the intruder last night, the only other big news is the arrival of the young dear Ember." Ivy's ears picked up a bit.

"You mean she hasn't always been here?" Violet shook her head.

"No, she arrived about 2 days ago. From what I've heard Ms. Matilda found the young girl and wanted to adopt her," Violet explained.

"Two days ago?" Ivy smiled a bit, "maybe she is that ghoul we've been hunting?" Ivy thought. "I like Ember, I was able to spend some time with her and the royal children last night."

"That is wonderful," Violet said. "I know that you probably had a wonderful time last night with them."

"Yes ma'am," Ivy nodded her head. "They even invited me to spend the day with them, but I had to decline I want to work every single day."

"While it is good to work, but remember you are still a child my dear." Violet kneeled down before Ivy and place a hand on her shoulder. "Even though you work here now, do not try to overwork yourself. I want you to have fun and work hard."

"Yes, ma'am," Ivy answered with a salute.

"Now I think I can trust you to dust the library, do you remember where it is?" Ivy nodded her head. "Good girl, once you finish that you can take a break and then join the lunch preparations."

Ivy nodded her head as she headed to the library, she headed inside of the library and found Aunt Tilly sitting inside reading some books. "Just the lady I was looking for." Ivy thought as she walked over. "Excuse Duchess Matilda, I was asked to do some dusting in here. If you would like I could wait a while."

"No problem young lady," Tilly looked up from her book with a smile. "Go ahead and do your job, don't mind me I'm just doing a bit of research."

"Might I ask what you are reading Duchess Matilda?" Tilly patted the chair beside her.

"Come and take a seat young lady," Tilly told the orange haired girl. "And please call me Tilly."

"Thank you, Duchess Tilly," Ivy set her duster down and sat next to her.

"These are the books I am reading," Tilly slide the book in front of Ivy.

"The myth of the reality stones, fact or fiction? The Mystery regarding ghouls?" Ivy looked up at Tilly as she finished reading it. "I never heard of ghouls before… or the reality stones", the first may have been a lie but the second was a truth. "What are they."

"The Reality Stones are 6 legendary stones that hold a great amount of power. Magic, Time, Darkness, Light, Power, and Space. Each is rumored to have protected the Mystic Isles." Ivy was certainly interested now. "As for ghouls," it took everything in Ivy's power not to yawn. Everything that was rumored about ghouls was the truth, after all, she had killed ghouls before.

"They sound scary," Ivy remarked in a scared voice.

"They do…. Or maybe they are just a little misunderstood," Tilly answered.

"They kill people and eat them doesn't that make them evil?" Tilly shook her head.

"Maybe it does, or maybe it is a sad life for those involved some might feel terrible for the lives they have taken," Tilly explained. "Can you do me a big favor?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Tilly picked her back off the floor and set it on the table. "This bag is very important to me, I have to use the restroom please watch it for me." Ivy nodded her head yes and Tilly stood and left the room. Ivy listened as Tilly's footsteps slowly grew quieter and quieter before she put her hand into the back and dug around.

"How big is this thing!" Ivy stuck her whole head into the bag and was amazed at the size. "I knew about magic bags but this ridiculous." Ivy pulled her head out and placed her hand back inside there was a lot of things inside of that bag.

"Who has a whole lamp inside of a bag?... Are these fishing rods!?...oh candy!"

She kept this up until finally, she felt something very flat, she pulled it out and found a very interesting file. "Ghouls huh." Ivy was gonna open it until she heard footsteps coming back to the library. "Dang it!" Ivy placed the file back into the bag and quickly stood up and began to dust around.

"I suppose it will be hard to dust with me in the room," Tilly remarked.

"No Duchess it is nice to have someone to talk too while I work," Ivy needed to press for more information. She was starting to think that the ghoul they had been chasing was actually Ember. "Duchess Tilly, can I ask a question?"

"Good ahead," Tilly opened the book she had on the reality stones back up.

"What do you have in that bag that is so important?" Tilly chuckled a bit.

"Well little one, this bag is magically it can hold so many items and it almost seems bottomless at times. It holds a lot of important memories and maps from all the adventures I've been on. Books that I cannot let go, and pictures that I have grown to love so much." Tilly reached over and patted her bag. "I suppose this bag has become a part of me." Tilly reached into her bag, she knew she had some sweets in this bag, and she wanted to give Jenny something. However, she quickly found that the file on Ember that had been hidden deep inside of her bag was close to the top.

"That's strange… I know that I hid this deep inside of my bag," Tilly thought as she looked over at the child who was happily whistling as she dusted. "Jenny was someone in this library just now?"

"No ma'am," Tilly raised an eyebrow as she looked over the girl. "I didn't hear anyone." Ivy was starting to sweat a bit.

"Did you go through my bag while I was gone?" Tilly asked.

Ivy's eyes went wide for a second, "of course she would know if someone went in her bag!" She frantically thought. She could feel Tilly's eyes were fixed on her.

"Can you look at me please?" Ivy turned around and saw that normally joyful Tilly was looking at her with a stern look. "Come here for a second."

"Yes ma'am," Ivy walked over her heart beating hard in her chest. She didn't want to be caught now if she was then Jimmy would be disappointed in her. Ivy had her wand hidden in her sleeve taped to her arm. Ivy stood in front of Tilly.

"I am gonna ask you this one-time young lady, did you go into my bag for a peak?" Tilly asked firmly.

Ivy had two plans one was very violent and the other was gonna hurt her pride. Ivy decided to go with the worse of the two plans she had. She began to take deep breaths and forced tears to her eyes, and began to cry. "I'm sorry!" Ivy hated doing this, but she had no other choice. "I dropped my duster in your bag by accident and I went looking for it! I didn't to dug through it I just wanted to do my job!"

Tilly's eyes softened a bit, "calm down Jenny." Tilly said softly as she placed her hands on her shoulders.

Ivy had her hooked, as she started to cry harder. "Please, Duchess Tilly I didn't mean for that to happen! I just wanted to find it myself, I didn't wanna be a bother to you!" Ivy forced her body to shake, "now I'm gonna be fired now, I always mess things up!"

Tilly quickly brought the sobbing girl into her arms, "Jenny it is ok." Tilly gently rubbed the girl back as well as her hair. "You aren't in trouble sweetie and I am proud that you were honest with me."

"I didn't mean too." Ivy lied as a smirk appeared on her face. "Adults always fall for the crying trick around here", she thought with a giggle.

Once the girl had calmed down enough, Tilly released her embrace, "are you ok now?"

Ivy sniffled a bit but nodded her head, "yes Ms. Tilly."

Tilly smiled, but grew a bit serious after a couple seconds, "can you do me the favor and wait for me if this happens again? I have a lot of stuff in this bag, some of which are very dangerous. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"Yes ma'am," Ivy nodded her head.

"Now come along with me," Tilly offered the girl her hand. "I would rather you not clean with such a sad looking face. We need to wash it."

"Thank you," Ivy took Tilly's hand and the duo went to the bathroom. As they left, Ivy pointed her arm towards a mirror near the back. "Come and play and sneak around, a clone of me who will not be found." She thought as blast magic hit the mirror and a clone of her came out. Her clone nodded towards Ivy and casted a spell on herself and was back wearing her black clothes. "Ms. Tilly watch out!" Ivy's clone took her scythe out and came rushing forward. Ivy pushed Tilly out of the way and braced herself as a strike from her scythe hit her in the chest and knocked her against the wall. Knocking her out in the process.

"It's all up too you don't get yourself caught….", Ivy felt her world go black as she collapsed to the ground. Hoping that her plan was gonna work.

Tilly recovered from her push and looked over at girl in front of her. "It's you from last night! So you fled into the library to hide." Tilly reached into her pocket and pulled out her wand. "You are gonna be a very sorry girl for what you did to Jenny."

"What is going on!" Roland had heard the loud crash and came running in with two guards by his side. "Jenny!" Roland rushed to the girl's side. "Someone get a medic in here."

"Wish I could stay and chat," everyone turned and looked at Ivy's clone who began to spin her scythe around. "But I have a mission to complete and staying her would just put that at risk."

"Guards seize her!" Roland order.

"No stay back," Tilly said firmly. "I need you to stay back, I'll handle this."

"So the Duchess is gonna take me on!" Ivy smirked and held her scythe down with the blade pointed towards Tilly. "Come and get me."

Tilly took off her jacket and threw it to the floor, "Roland get Jenny out of here and bring more guards."

While his instincts told him to protect Tilly, he also knew that she was an expert in magical arts and could hold her own. She had been skilled in fencing as a child and she had become even better with a blade. Roland grabbed a blade from one of his guards and threw it to his sister, "be careful Tilly." Roland took Jenny in his arms and left the room. "I'll be back."

Tilly the blade in one hand and held her wand out in the other, "I am gonna ask you this one time little one. Why are you here?"

Ivy's clone took her hood off showing that she had green hair and orange eyes instead of the orange hair and green eyes that the normal Ivy had. She had also made herself look a little older than before. "Why am I here?, well I can't tell you that", Ivy spun her scythe over her head.

"But what I can tell you is that this is gonna be fun!" Ivy's clone rushed forward.

* * *

 **Back at the animal park.**

Ember was amazed at all the different kinds of animals and plants that she was seeing, she was only used to the usual animals in the forest. She had no idea that the world had so many different creatures and she wanted to learn them all.

"Having fun?" Amber asked Ember.

"So much fun!" Ember said in glee, "there are so many animals here, and they are so nice and pretty." She was in so much awe and joy.

"I love this place, me and some of the other princesses come here every year with our dads for dads and daughters day," said Amber.

"What about moms and daughters day?" Ember asked.

"We have a day for that as well family is very important, so including both fathers, and mothers day we also celebrate a couple more days as well." Ember nodded her head.

"You guys are so lucky you've been together since birth," Amber shook her head.

"Actually Sofia and her mom haven't always been with us," James said.

"What do you mean?" Amber took a steady breath.

"Well… our mother died a long time ago, our father remarried Sofia's mother." Ember placed a hand to her mouth.

"I'm so sorry I had no idea!" James quickly put a hand on Ember's shoulder.

"It's ok," James reassured. "You had no way of knowing that."

Ember gave a smile, " I'm still sorry…. Do you guys ever miss her?"

"It was hard at first," Amber admitted. "I was a little bitter and upset for a long while, I was rude to Sofia and our new mom at first. I didn't want to accept anyone else in my life right then and there. However, now I'm glad that Sofia and our new mom are here."

"I'm glad i'm here too," Ember smiled warmly. "I always thought that I was gonna travel the world alone for the rest of my life."

"And now you have a family," Amber remarked sweetly.

The ground had taken a break for a picnic lunch, where Ember found the joy jiggly wiggly pudding. The ground enjoyed there lunch and Ember suddenly looked sad. "Is something wrong darling" Miss Elodie noted.

"Nothing really… it's just I don't understand this, I don't deserve any of this. Just the other day I was… in a bad way, I had no home or even friends. But now I'm here in this wonderful garden and I have a new mom, and I'm living every girl's dream. I'm a royal now… it seems to good to be true." Ember explained.

"You know, there is a very old saying that may be true," Elodie began. "An an old saying that goes good things come to those who wait. You may have had to wait a very long time and you might have gone through some horrid events. But now you are here and safe."

"Your right," Ember said to Elodie. "Thank you for the kind words."

"No need for thanks dear, I do want to know one thing, what is your story, my dear." Ember gave Elodie a strange look. "Where do you come from, what was your life like, what do you like, and dislike things like that."

"Well… I had been an orphan for a very long time, I spent a long time traveling from village to village all alone. Orphanages didn't really work cause no one seemed to want me." Ember took a breath. "I was found by Ms. Tilly and she took me to the castle and a day later she wanted to adopt me. I like reading and animals. I guess I dislike being alone." Elodie took note of those things.

"What about singing?" Ember shook her head.

"I could never sing that well," Elodie gave the young girl a look. "What every time I had tried to sing people would just tell me to be quiet. So I just thought I couldn't sing."

"Well, I would love to hear you sing," Ember quickly declined that offer.

"Come on Ember," Sofia encouraged "no one here is gonna laugh at your or be mean."

"If your sure," Ember looked around nerovously. "What song?"

"How about this I will sing the first verse of the song, and then pass it on to one of you for the second verse and so on?" Elodie suggested, "and I know the perfect song."

 _Miss Elodie: Amazing grace  
oh how sweet the sound  
That saved a wretch like me.  
I once was lost, but now am found  
Was blind, but now I see._

 _Sofia: Twas grace that taught my heart to fear  
And grace my fear relieved  
How precious did that grace appear  
The hour I first believed._

 _Amber: Through many dangers, toils and snares  
I have already come  
Twas grace that lead me  
safe thus far  
And grace will lead me home_

 _James: The Lord has promised good to me  
His Word my hope secures  
He will my shield and portion be  
As long as life endures_

 _Ember took a deep breath: When we've been there ten thousand years  
Bright shining as the sun  
We've no less days to sing God's praise  
Than when, when we first begun  
Than when we'd first begun_

All: _Amazing grace  
oh how sweet the sound  
That saved a wretch like me.  
I once was lost, but now am found  
Was blind, but now I see. _

"Wonderful!" Miss Elodie exclaimed. "Ember who ever made the claim that you cannot sing couldn't be anymore wrong my dear."

"Yeah Ember you sung so beautiful Ember," Sofia added.

"I wasn't that good," Ember remarked as her cheeks heated up a bit. "Not compared to Amber."

"Give yourself some more confidence Ember," Amber said. "You sing great."

Ember smiled happily at the praise she had received, "thank you, I've said it so many times before but I am so glad that you are now apart of my life."

"And we are glad that you are here with us," Sofia added.

The group enjoyed a wonderful and explored the enchanted animal park for a couple more hours before it was time to leave and head to Dunwiddie, for the founders day party.

* * *

 **Back at the palace.**

The calls of spells, the crashing of steel on the steel, sparks flying through the air, and the laughter of a child. Fill the palace courtyard.

The battle between Tilly and Ivy's clone had spilled outside since Tilly didn't want the library to be destroyed. Tilly didn't like to fight that much, however during her time as the storyteller. She had to learn to defend herself, she had become a better sword fighter and she studies different kinds of combat magic.

Ivy's clone, on the other hand, was at a serious disadvantage in this battle. Ivy's clone spell wasn't the same as Cedric's clone spell. In order to use it, she had to use her own magical energy to make it. This clone was only ⅓ of Ivy's true power and speed, but even then this one clone was a terror.

Tilly was truly amazed at the skill this child had with a scythe of that size, she could spin it around with blinding speed to catch her off guard. She could use it to block spells sent her way. Tilly and Ivy had locked blades with one another.

"Are we finished yet young lady?" Tilly questioned as she pushed her back. "You cannot beat me, just surrender and your punishment will be light."

Ivy's clone no longer had the smile on her face it was a dark frown, "quiet you! I have no reason to surrender so you can be quiet!" Ivy's clone stuck her tongue out towards Tilly and jumped away.

"Fine then!" Tilly stabbed her sword down into the dirt and held her wand above her head. "I wasn't gonna do this dear child but you leave me no choice." Tilly's wand began to glow bright pink. " _Judgement Chains!"_ Nine bright pink chains came flying from Tilly's wand and surrounded Ivy's locking around her arms, legs, her weapon, and then her waist.

"Hey! What are you doing!?" Ivy exclaimed as she struggled to free herself. "NO FAIR!"

Tilly placed her wand into the dirt successfully locking the child in place. "Alright sorry about that, but the incarnation for a spell this powerful takes a lot of time to set up." Tilly made her way over to the child.

"How!" Ivy demanded.

"That is for me to know young lady," Ivy growled as Tilly gently placed a hand on her cheek. "Alright, it is safe to come over."

"Amazing," Roland said as he walked over to his sister with guards by his side. "I had no idea that you had become so skilled in magic. And your swordman ships had become masterful."

"Oh that I was nothing," said Tilly. "I am sure that your swordsmanship is better than mine and I am positive that Cedric could perform spells of greater quality than me."

Roland nodded his head, "now then what do we do with our little guest?"

"Nothing?" Ivy spat out. "You are so stupid!"

"Excuse me, young lady," Roland began firmly.

"No excuse me!" Ivy interrupted. "You think you are so much smarter than me because you caught me! But you have no idea that the real spy is still hiding in the palace!"

Roland's eyes went wide for a second, "then what are you?"

"A clone," Ivy responded simply. "And thanks to you fools the real me escape the palace and is probably long gone!" Ivy began to giggle loudly. "Oh, and did I forget that I can self destruct?"

"Protection sphere!" Everyone turned to see Cedric fire a blast towards the girl and a green dome surrounded her.

"No!" That was the last word that came from the clones month as it exploded! The dome shook but it did not break.

"Good timing Cedric," Roland praised. "Guards head out, the original couldn't have gotten very far from here. I want the palace checked from top to bottom. Everyone room, and hallway. Cedric do you know a spell that can detect any hidden spots in the castle."

"Well there is one spell but the amount of magic power that it takes to use would be too hard on my body?" Cedric explained.

"If you are talking about Akaran Protection we could do half and half by using half of mine and half of yours we could cast the spell," Tilly brought up.

"Perfect plan," Cedric responded.

The Duchess of Enchancia and The Royal Sorceror came together and held their wands point to point. " _We summons the powers of light today, to protect and secure the place where we stay. We ask that you guide us in our search today."_ A bright white light surrounded the duo and slowly formed into a dome. " _Akaran Protection!"_ The dome expanded greatly and covered the whole castle. Cedric's and Tilly's eyes became bright.

"OK we can see every spot in the palace right now," Tilly explained.

"Cedric you take a group and cover the top, Tilly you cover the bottom, I will lead a group outside," Roland ordered.

From mid-morning to late afternoon, the castle's guards searched the castle from top to bottom. Outside and inside, every inch, no stone was left untouched. Until finally they were sure that there was no one inside the palace. "Your highness I will have extra guards on the outside, no one will get inside tonight!" Matthew explained.

"Thank you Matthew," Roland said. Once Matthew left the room, Roland walked over to his sister who was resting on a bed. "Are you ok?"

Tilly gave a thumbs up, the downside of Akaran Protection was it took a lot out of the users who cast it. Once the search was over Cedric went back to his room for rest and Tilly went to hers. "Jenny quite possibly saved my life," Tilly said weakly. "She pushed me out of the way as that child attempted to hit me."

"Well then once she wakes up, she will be honored," Roland said with a smile. "As will you and Cedric."

"I didn't do anything baby brother," Tilly said with a chuckle.

"You did a lot more than you think," Roland answered. "You protected my men, and you defeated that child."

"No," Tilly sat up from her bed, "if I had taken on the real one and not the clone then I might have been defeated. She is a strong one with the scythe of hers, hopefully, she left and won't come back."

A couple of hours later the children had come back from a very fun day at Dunwiddie and were informed of the incident. Meanwhile, with Ivy, her plan had worked perfectly. Step 1, make a clone, step 2 have the clone attack the duchess, it was a basic plan but it worked perfectly. Now she just needed to get the file in Tilly's bag and then call Jimmy.

 **A/N.**

 **Hope you enjoyed and any spell that is in this will be listed below.**

 **Ivy's Copy spell, real name Magically Copy. A copy made from the user own magical power, much weaker than the original.**

 **Judgment Chains: A trapping spell used to capture an enemy with 9 chains, the second part of the spell is they force the one caught to answer questions truthfully.**

 **Akaran Protection: A spell used to scan a large area with a huge dome once scanned the caster will be able to see the whole area. Downside takes a huge amount of power and will take out the user.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6.**

 **That night.**

"Jenny!" Ivy quickly hid her wand from view, she was planning on calling Jimmy. Princess Sofia came rushing into the room, "are you ok?"

"Don't worry," Ivy quickly consoled. "I'm fine… I'm just sad that I messed the party."

Sofia walked over and took a seat on the girl's bed, "I'm so glad that you are ok. We came back from our day with Ember and dad told us what happened. I was so worried about you."

Ivy sat up and held her chest with a loud wince, taking a hit from her clone was no easy tasks. It actually broke a couple of ribs, "you have no idea how scary that girl was. She came out of nowhere."

A knock was heard on the door and King Roland came into the room, "Jenny I see that you are awake."

"Your majesty," Ivy bowed her head in respect. "Is Duchess Tilly ok now?"

"She is fine my dear, and it is all because of you." Roland took a seat on the boy's bed, "we owe you a great thanks, your quick thinking possible saved Tilly's life." Roland said as she took her hand. "You will be greatly rewarded for risking your life today."

Ivy shook her head, "I don't need a reward, my king, knowing that the Duchess is safe and sound is all the reward I need."

Roland smiled at that, "Although you still deserve that reward, and for starters, I had something made for you." Roland whistled and Violet came into the room with a tray with her. "Since you haven't had dinner or lunch today I know you are hungry. So I had the chefs make you something truly breathtaking for dinner."

While the main dish looked wonderful, it was the desert that had Ivy's eyes sparkling with glee. "I see you noticed the cake, that is a triple chocolate cake." Everything smelled wonderful and Ivy was so happy about this. Traveling with Jimmy they didn't really get that many good meals like this.

"Once you are finished someone will come for the dishes, you are ordered to take as much time off as you need to recover," Roland said firmly. "I know you will want to get back to work, but your recovery is much more important than that."

"Yes my king," Roland gently patted her hand and took his leave.

"I'll be here to help you as much as I can Jenny," Sofia promised.

"Sofia ill be fine once I get something to eat and some more sleep I'll be moving around again," Ivy responded. To be quite honest, she really really didn't like Sofia that much however she knew that Sofia could give her some very important information. "I do have a favor to ask of you?"

"What is it?"

"Can you stay and help me while I eat this, everything I lift my arm my back hurts a lot." Ivy lied.

"Of course," Sofia answered.

Ivy's original plan was the find more things about this Ember girl, so by having Sofia by her side. They could have a conversation and Ivy could eventually spin there talk. "When was Princess Ember adopted by Duchess Tilly?"

"Well…. She was adopted around 3 days ago, aunt Tilly needs to get the paperwork and it will be official very soon." Sofia explained.

"Really!" Ivy exclaimed in shock disbelieve, "I thought that she had been with her for years."

"No, Ember was found by my aunt a couple days ago, she was found in the woods near Dunwiddie," Sofia added.

"The woods near Dunwiddie?" Ivy thought, "so she was in the area where me and Jimmy were looking for that ghoul huh?" She needed to know more, "do you know what happened the other night when all of those guards were in the forest."

"You heard about that?" Ivy nodded her head.

"Of course I did," Ivy confirmed. "They said that Carol was injured and rumors were saying that a lot of guards lost their lives fighting a monster," Ivy added in a frightened voice. "What do you know about that?"

"I guard came in and told my dad, I had to come along with since I am a protector now," Sofia explained.

"Wait she's a protector!" Ivy thought in shock.

Ivy knew a lot about the Mystic Isles since she and Jimmy had traveled there before on business. They had come in contact with protectors of the isles a couple times, she knew about their powers and abilities. She had heard that a human was made protector of the Ever Realm. (So just found out that Ever Realm was like that instead of the way I had been spelling it) However, she never thought that it was gonna be the princess of Enchancia.

"Are there any protectors looking into it?" Ivy questioned. See the protectors tended to treat Jimmy (Jing-Shuan) as an enemy since they didn't only hunt down ghouls. They also hunted down a view criminals on the isles, which was very illegal there.

"Well, they are looking into it," Sofia lied. "I also let a man by the name of Orion know what happened today. He is coming tomorrow to ask you a couple of questions."

It took everything in her power not to scream, "just freaking great protectors are coming here!" Ivy snapped in her mind. "Are they gonna stay for a while?"

Sofia nodded her head, "from what aunt Tilly told me today. Orion is gonna keep two protectors here for a couple weeks just in case." Ivy had to keep a calm face but to be honest she was very upset. With protectors here trying to steal that file from Tilly just got much harder.

"Are they strong?" Sofia gave her friend a strange look. "Sorry, what I mean is are they strong enough to protect us all?"

"Well Chrysta is very strong, but I don't know about Orion, or even who the other protector coming is," Sofia answered.

"Wonderful," Ivy thought, "It's a good thing," she played along, "more protection means that everyone is gonna be safer."

"I know," Sofia agreed. "Jenny…. weren't you scared when you saw the girl?"

"Very scared," Ivy couldn't help but hype herself up. "She was scary looking and that weird weapon she had was so scary." Ivy put on a very scared face. "I honestly thought that I was gonna die, but I also thought that if I could save the Duchess I would be remembered."

"Jenny….", Sofia reached out and took her friend's hand. "You will be remembered you're one of the nicest kids I have ever meet. Everyone in the village will remember your kindness towards all, you remember that right?"

"I don't remember much still Sofia," Ivy remarked. "Right when I began to remember somethings that girl showed up and hit me into a wall. I forgot some things after that."

"It must be hard," Sofia said sadly. "I couldn't imagine what it would be like if I had lost my memory."

"It's hard… but I am just gonna keep trying my hardest to remember my past," said Ivy.

"I wish you good luck," Sofia answered with a smile.

Eventually, Sofia had to leave to check on Cedric, much to Ivy's relief, she had acted like she was asleep and after Violet had checked on her. She finally had a chance and contacted Jimmy.

"Hi, Jimmy!" Ivy said happily as she waved at the portal she made.

"Good evening Ivy," Jing Shuan said. "How you found that ghoul yet or any information."

"Well….", Ivy explained everything that she had found, the file in Tilly bag, about her theory on Ember being a ghoul. Everything she had found out, she explained.

"Interesting," Jing-Shuan remarked. "You are doing quite well, next time you use a clone make sure that it isn't caught or isn't used for violence. The magical clone is a very good tool for spying and assassination work, use one tonight if you can and get that file from Duchess Tilly. If this Ember girl is the ghoul we are looking for, call me and then you may kill her.

"You mean I can kill her without you being there!" Ivy exclaimed in glee.

"Yes I'm sure that you can take her out once I get the call I will be there as soon as I can, you are allowed to go all out if need be." Ivy gave the man a salute.

"Thank you, Jimmy!" Ivy hung up her call she casted the spell magically clone creating two versions of herself. "Alright looky here clones of me, you are to sneak into the Duchess room and go through her bag tonight. Do not get caught, this is purely stealth, find a file in her back and read through it. Once that is done you may disappear, one of you is to go in the other stand watch." Ivy explained with a loud yawn. "Also no scythes tonight, and be careful."

"Yes ma'am Orginal clone of me ma'am!" The clones answered with giggles.

"Alright wait at least an hour before you head out," Ivy yawned once again before laying her head down on a pillow. "Have fun."

"Alright," Ivy 1 replied.

"You can count on us," Ivy 2 added.

"Question what if we don't find it tonight?" Ivy 1 asked.

"Then you stay until tomorrow night and try again, you stay hidden until we find that file," Ivy explained.

"I have an idea!" Ivy two explained. "What if one of us spies on the Ember girl and the other goes looking for the file!"

"That is a great idea Ivy 2!"

"Thanks, Ivy's 1," Ivy clapped her hands getting their attention.

"Look do whatever plan you want just let me go to sleep," Ivy said.

"Be fair Orignal Ivy," Ivy 1 complained. "As a magic clone, we don't need food or sleep we just wanna have fun!"

"Then go have fun somewhere else or I'll make you go bye bye!" Ivy responded.

"Fine fine fine!" Ivy 1 complained as she disappeared out of the window, and Ivy two went running out of the door sticking to the shadows.

* * *

 **Ember's room bedtime.**

Ember hadn't gotten ready for bed, she was currently pacing her room. King Roland informed them what had happened, including her new mother's bravery as she dueled with the wicked child. The door to her room cracked open and TIlly came walking into the room.

"Ms. Tilly!" Ember rushed over to the woman and hugged her tightly.

Tilly hugged her new daughter back with a smile on her face, "it's ok sweetie I'm ok." Tilly gently rubbed her head.

"I was worried about you," Ember admitted. "What happened?"

"Well, I can explain that in a second," Tilly reached down and gently patted Ember on her noes. "After a day of adventure, it only makes sense that you take a nice warm bath."

"That can wait," said Ember. "Right now I wanna know what happened."

"Well if you want, I can tell you while you take your bath," Tilly responded.

"But Ms. Tilly," Tilly gently placed her finger on her daughter's lips.

"No backtalk," Ember sighed but nodded her head in defeat.

"Sorry," Ember said gently.

"Nothing to be sorry about my dear," Tilly answered with a smile. "Now come along and lets get you nice and clean."

After a very nice and warm bath, Ember was changed into her nightgown and sat down on her bed. "Can you tell me what happened now?"

"Alright," Tilly explained the entire situation to her daughter. "There you have it, we have no idea where this young lady went and where she is right now…. Ember are you ok?"

Ember's eyes were in shock, "Ms. Tilly…. I know who that girl was!" She said in a frightened voice.

"Really!" Ember nodded her head, "can you tell me and my brother who this is?"

"Yes," Tilly quickly left and got King Roland.

"Ember, my sister told me that you know who that young girl is?" Ember nodded her head.

"Her name is Ivy…. she is a powerful and wicked little girl. She is known as the grim reapers vicious crow," Ember began to shake like a leaf in the winds. "She is a ghoul hunter."

"A ghoul hunter? What is a ghoul hunter?" Roland asked gently.

Tilly wrapped her arm around her daughter and gently rubbed her back, "a ghoul hunter hunts down ghouls and kills them… she and her master caught me a few weeks ago. We fought for the whole night under the moonlight. I was gonna kill her… but then her master came in." Ember rested her head against Tilly's shoulder. "Even when I lost control… he cut me up and almost killed me in only 3 swings of his blade. I was barely able to escape, and now they have followed me here." Ember began to cry, "please I know you all meant good and today was so much fun…. But I have to leave now."

"Nonsense," Tilly spoke up. "You are not leaving, you are not gonna be alone again!"

"I'd rather be alone then get everyone killed!" Ember yelled. "You have no idea what kind of monsters they are. Ms. Tilly, Ivy alone would run through you at her full power, but Jing-Shuan the grim reaper would kill everyone in here just to get to me!" Ember pushed Tilly off her and made a mad dash towards the door. "I CAN'T STAY HERE!"

Tilly recovered quickly and grabbed Ember by her shoulder, "Ember calm down!"

"NO!" Ember shook wildly as she struggled to free her arm. "LET ME GO!"

"I will not!" Tilly remarked. "Ember as long I am here no one is gonna hurt you ever again!"

"LET GO!"

"NO!"

"LET GO!" Ember pleaded.

"EMBER ZAMANTHA BLOODMOON CALM DOWN NOW!" Tilly ordered sternly.

Ember stopped her struggling as Tilly called out her full name and dropped to her knees. "I don't... I don't want anyone to get hurt anymore because of me… your children showed me such a great time, and I don't want anyone to be hurt because of me!"

Tilly kneeled down and brought her into a warm embrace, "Ember I know we just meet a couple days ago. I have no idea what kind of pain you have been through. I have no idea…. But know this sweetheart when I said that you were my daughter. I was not pretending… no matter what happens I will protect you!" Tilly said firmly. "No one is gonna come between me and you, I will stand tall and fight tooth and nail for you. I learned something at a very young age from my own mother. Hell has no fury like a mother protecting her child."

"Why," Ember remarked weakly. "You don't know me at all… why do you want to protect me?"

Tilly turned Ember around and placed her hands on her head. "Do I need a reason to want to love and protect you like a mother?"

"No," Tilly leaned forward and gave her daughter a kiss on her forehead. "Why don't you get some sleep?"

"I can't sleep not while that demon is somewhere near here," Ember answered.

"Ember if I may," Roland spoke up. "Look I understand fully that we are new people to you. That you may not have experienced such kindness from strangers before. However, we are good people and we want to protect you with everything we have."

"I don't want to go," Ember admitted. "But I can't sleep well knowing that nearby are people who want to kill me."

Tilly took her daughter by the hand and gently lifted her to her feet, "just trust me Ember, a good nights sleep will make you feel so much better."

 _(Song is sung to the tune of Everything's Alright from Jesus Christ Superstar)_

 _Tilly: Try not to get worried,_

 _try not to turn on to  
Problems that upset you, oh  
Don't you know that  
Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine  
And we want you to sleep well tonight  
I promise everything will be fine tonight  
Close your eyes, close your eyes  
And get some sleep tonight. _

_Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine._

 _Roland: Sleep and we shall soothe you, calm you and protect you  
You will be safe here tonight  
Then you'll feel that  
Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine_

 _And you've had a long day today._

 _Rest mind and body today._

 _Close your eyes, close your eyes.  
And relax, think of nothing tonight. _

_Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine._

Ember pulled herself from Tilly's grip and looked down.

 _Ember: King Roland, your kindness, Ms. Tilly your love._

 _Could have been save for another._

 _Why has it been wasted? You could save maybe._

 _An orphan worthy of it more._

 _I am just a ghoul, a child deserves nothing._

 _But to be truly alone._

Tilly knelled down and gently lifted Ember's chin and Roland placed a hand on her shoulder.

 _Tilly and Roland: Try not to get worried,_

 _try not to turn on to  
Problems that upset you, oh  
Don't you know that  
Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine  
And we want you to sleep well tonight  
We promise everything will be fine tonight  
Close your eyes, close your eyes  
And get some sleep tonight. _

_Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine._

Ember once again broke free of their hold and shook her head.

 _Ember: Surely you're not saying,_

 _That you truly want me._

 _To stay here with you lot._

 _There must be someone, truly must be someone._

 _That deserves so much more._

 _Look! I understand it._

 _Look! I have been through this._

 _It will all be so much better, with me gone!"_

Ember has spun around and was stunned as Roland and Tilly brought her into a group hug. It felt so familiar in way… something she hadn't felt in such a long time.

 _Tilly and Roland: Ember we love you._

 _We want to protect you!_

 _Trust us when we say that._

 _Everythings alright, yes, everything's fine._

 _And we want you to sleep well tonight._

 _We promise everything will be fine tonight  
Close your eyes, close your eyes  
And get some sleep tonight.  
Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine…_

Ember was stunned as tears began to flow from her eyes, "I DON'T WANT TO GO!"

"And we don't want you too either," Tilly reassured.

"No one in this family wants you to leave us," Roland added.

* * *

"Come in," Cedric called out weakly. After the casting of Akaran Protection, it had used up most of his magical powers. So he was currently resting in his workshop nearly asleep.

"Good evening Mr. Cedric," Sofia greeted happily as she came in with a tray of food. "I brought you some dinner from the kitchen."

"Thank you Princess Sofia," Cedric said thankfully he sat up in his bed and stretched a bit.

"No problem Mr. Cedric," Sofia set the tray on his nightstand and took a seat on his bed. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, Sofia I should be fine after some sleep, casting a spell that powerful takes a lot of magical energy." Cedric explained.

"I had no idea that you could make clones that can explode on will," Cedric took a sip of water and then summoned his spellbook to his hand. "I suppose I should tell you more about the 2 main types of magic."

"There are different types of magic?" asked Sofia.

"Yes, right now you know what is called Sorcery, sorcery is what we sorcerers use on a daily basis while it may seem hard. It is considered the most basic of the 2 types." Sofia was stunned.

"But you make that magic look so hard," Cedric chucked a bit.

"Don't get me wrong all magic is hard and takes years to truly master but compared to the other types, it is still considered easier," Cedric explained. "The second type we have is combat magic, powerful blasts of magic, shields that protect those from harm. This is the type of magic that is used to defend the kingdoms. Myself personally I am not to good at attack magic, but my defense and sensory magic are at a high level. The magical clone technique is a type of combat magic"

"Can you show me sometime?" Cedric nodded his head. "Maybe tomorrow?"

"Well see how I feel," Cedric answered. "Combat Magic is divided into numerous parts, attack, defense, sensory, healing. As well as different elements, fire, water, earth, air, lightning, darkness, light, are just the 7 basic ones."

"What do you mean by basic?"

"Those are the basic seven elements, when you combine two or more of those elements you can use other types of magic. Like Ice, magic is made when you combine water and wind." Cedric explained. "It is rare for someone to be skilled in all 7 basic elements, most are just skilled in one or maybe two styles."

"What types are you good at?" Sofia asked.

"Since I am good at defense magic, I decided to study the more solid type being earth magic," Cedric answered.

"Is there a way to tell what type you are good at?" Cedric shook his head.

"It is up to you to decide what type you study," Cedric explained.

"Do you have any books on light, water, and wind magic?" Sofia asked.

"The second shelf," Cedric answered. "Be careful and do not attempt to try any combat magic unless myself or your aunt is with you."

"How come?" Sofia asked sweatly.

"Combat magic is hard and takes up a lot of magic power, you are a protector and you are still a child. You may have a lot of magic power right now, but overusing that supply with get you tired very fast." Cedric replied. "I'd rather not come outside and find your face down on the ground."

"Alright, I promise," Sofia responded.

"Good," Cedric sent his book back to his bookshelf. "Now I am gonna eat and get some rest if I feel better tomorrow I can show you a thing or two about defense magic."

"Ok, thanks for the lesson Mr. Cedric," Sofia gladly thanked.

"Anytime Princess Sofia," Cedric answered. "And thank you for the food."

"No problem Mr. Cedric," Sofia answered back with a small wave as she left his workshop with 3 books.

* * *

Ember had finally calmed down, and Roland had left the room to wish his children a good nights sleep. "Mom….", Ember said quietly with a bit of a blush. "Thank you….".

Tilly was exstatic, "I think I like that more than Ms. Tilly." Tilly gently teased. "You have nothing to thank me for Ember, I am just glad that you want to stay here. And I am glad that you are here with me as a member of this family."

"I am too," Ember said as a yawn as she fell asleep with a smile on her face, "did you really mean what you said. That you were gonna protect me?"

"Ember I promise, no matter what may happen I am gonna protect you now and forever more." Tilly responded as she tucked her daughter into bed, "no one is gonna hurt you and if anyone tries to do that. They will have me to deal with, now please I want you to get some sleep."

 _Tilly: Try not to get worried,_

 _try not to turn on to  
Problems that upset you, oh  
Don't you know that  
Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine. _

_Ember: I think I will sleep well tonight._

 _I'll Rest my mine and my body tonight._

 _I'll Close my eyes close my eyes._

 _Relax and think nothing tonight._

"Love you," Ember whispered as she fell asleep.

"I love you too my dear," Tilly responded as she planted a kiss on her face, she turned around and began to leave the room. Tilly had made it to the door and turned around to look at her one more time. Tilly jumped in shock as, Ember was sitting up in bed, her normally black hair had turned snow white and she was looking at her.

"Good evening Duchess please have a seat and let's talk," this voice was darker and almost sinister. Her eyes hadn't turned red, but they might as well have.

"Who are you?" Tilly questioned. "You aren't my Ember?"

"Your Ember?" The girl began to giggle. "My my isnt that great, someone finally claiming her, my name is Fury."

"Ok then… Fury who are you?" Tilly questioned.

"If you want to know more, I suggest you sit down and relax cause it is story time." Tilly took a seat on the edge of Ember's bed with her want by her side. "I said relax, I'm not gonna hurt you or rather she won't let me."

"What do you mean by that?" Fury let out a sigh.

"I will put it like this, I was created when Ember lost total control of her emotions and went on a rampage since then I have been the main one doing all the fighting, when she has to hunt I do it. Cause mentally she was not the one to do so." Fury explained.

"May I ask what happened?" Fury nodded her head.

"It was a very long time ago, she might have been 5 I think when she was captured by a wealthy man. Who put her through so much pain, see he was in the slave trade business. So when he captured Ember it was the catch of the year." Fury began. "See no one knew what a ghoul was and they just thought she was indestructible…. The amount of pain she went through at just five years old was horrible."

"Ember was put through task after task, running through flames, stepping on nails, she may heal but the pain is still there! It still exists, ghouls are not immune to pain…. They didn't know that, they just thought it was amazing that she heals. So it was a hard year there, that is something a child that young shouldn't go through. Finally, she began to lose it, and one day she activated her powers and killed the young girl. The man was enraged, and he had her tortured every day, every hour for almost a month straight. The rest she got was when they would switch her tormentors, and after 2 weeks of this. She snapped and created a personality that would handle her pain. She created a savior and the savior was me. I remember breaking those chains they had me, and I killed the rich family and consumed them.

Since then we have been traveling the world and she would lose it so quickly, people are mean. And they would treat her like shit when every they saw her eyes. A demon child, and then she would black out and I would run amuck. I am her protector, I would fight for her when she needed me too. I would kill for her, I would protect her. Me and Ember are differnet she is much kinder and sweeter than I would ever be. The other night I was the one who slaughtered those men and I would have kill the princess, the king and you if Ember hadn't stopped me. She doesn't like killing, she hates death."

"Unbelievable," Tilly reached up and wiped a tear from her eye. "So where is Ember now?"

"When she sleeps I can come out and my spirit takes over her body, while hers rests," Fury narrowed her eyes at Tilly. "So onto why I am out here, I wanna ask one question. Do you truly care for Ember or are you just using her as a research toy!?"

"Of course I care for her!" Tilly snapped.

"Believe me when I say that I've heard that before!" Fury snapped. "I love Ember so much and I truly want to protect her, and she loves you unlike any other!" Fury stood to her feet and the 4 tails came from her back. All four pointed towards Tilly. "So let me make this very clear! If you hurt her in any way, or anyone in this palace tries to hurt her. I will hold you accountable and I will kill them and you!"

"It won't happen!" Tilly answered back. "I love Ember so much and I will not allow her to get hurt!"

Fury tails slowly disappeared and she sat back down, "then I will hold you to that." Fury sighed, "I want Ember to be a kid again and I want to finally relax and never come back out again."

"Then it seems we want the same thing," Tilly responded. "Do you know what happened to the book that Ember's parents gave her?"

"Well, I forgot to grab it the last time we run away," Fury answered.

"Ok," Fury closed her eyes and slowly her hair began to turn back to black.

"Protect her and love her and hopefully I will fade away for good," Once her hair turned back to normal. Ember fell back into bed, asleep.

Tilly stood up and tucked Ember back into bed, "I will protect you Ember, you two Fury believe that."

 **Thanks for reading, let me know what you think if you can.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7.**

Ember's eyes opened up and she was in an all-white room, a room she feared more than anything. This was the room where she had been tortured in for almost a month, this was also where she had created Fury. Sure enough, the girl who looked just like her, only with white hair was standing in the room.

"Took you long enough," Fury rolled her eyes.

"What do you want, I was having a good dream," Fury rolled her eyes.

"Look I wanted to talk to you about something," Fury snapped her fingers and two chairs appeared. "Take a seat this won't take long."

Ember took a seat in front of her more twisted self, "what is going on."

Fury sat down, "listen up I had a little chat with this Duchess mom of your."

"You didn't hurt her did you!" Ember snapped.

"No, I just wanted her to know that while you may trust her, I don't and if she hurts you I will kill her like all the others," Fury answered.

"Of course you did," Ember remarked.

"Also she knows about your past about this room, and how I was made," Ember sighed.

"Does she love me?"

"Yes your mommy still loves," Fury said in a mocking tone of voice. "She loves you very much actually, I was wondering something."

"Wondering what?"

"When will you no longer need me? When can we combine back into one being?"

Ember shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know yet, I still need you…".

"You are worried about that crow Ivy aren't you?" Ember nodded her head. "Don't worry I won't be leaving until you want me too. And I want a rematch with that brat and her master."

"He almost killed us," Fury growled darkly.

"I know," Fury hissed. "But I know that I can win this time, as long as our Kaguna stays active I will kill him!"

"Well my body isn't strong enough to keep our Kaguna open for that long," Fury shot up to her feet throwing her chair back in the process.

"Idiot if you hadn't spent so much time crying and whining like a brat and actually trained your body. We wouldn't be that weak!" Ember stood to her feet as well.

"I told you that I don't like using that power that much!" Ember screamed as Fury rushed her and pushed back into a wall. Fury held her sharp nails against her neck, making Ember shake in terror.

"Listen well, I care for you, but if you do not try to get stronger, I will lock you in here for a week while I get stronger!" Fury let go of Ember and she dropped to her hands and knees. "You are strong, you fought that black girl by yourself without me. Once you get scared you forget how strong you really are!"

Fury turned on her heels and walked away through the wall, "go back to your dreaming, and ask that woman to train you!"

Ember eyes snapped open and sat up in bed sweat dripping from her forehead. It was dark and moonlight was slowly filling her room, she turned towards the window and saw that it was open. Ember walked towards the window and closed it. "Mom must have opened this window before she left." Ember looked out of the window and enjoyed the sight of the moon.

"Maybe Fury is right… maybe I should do some basic training tomorrow. I wanna protect Ms. Tilly…. Mom I want to protect my mom. So I should get stronger," Ember concluded.

* * *

 **The Next Morning After Breakfast.**

Orion and Chrysta, as well as a centaur protector, had arrived after breakfast and after questioning Ivy. Orion concluded that it would be the right move, to have himself and Chrysta stay in Enchancia for a while. Just to make sure that nothing bad would happen.

"Is this Jing-Shuan that much of a threat?" Sofia asked.

"Yes," Orion said a bit darkly. "Jing Shuan was a former general of China. However, he quit and left the country after a dispute with the empire. Now he serves as a bounty hunter, and he is a very powerful warrior and threat."

"Did something happen between you two?" Sofia noticed Orion tone turned a bit dark.

"We had a fight a years ago after he had killed a centaur. He had paid his crimes but someone wanted him killed and hired Jing-Shuan who put him down. I found out and regretfully wanted revenge so we fought, our battle lasted 3 days and 3 nights. I lost that battle and almost died…" Sofia reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder. Earning a smile from the winged man, "it was on that day that Jing-Shuan was no longer allowed to enter the isles. However, he still comes for business, I had no idea that he was also a ghoul hunter."

"And Ivy?" Chrysta groaned when Sofia has said that.

"That little brat," Chrysta began. "She is a twisted little girl, who only wants to fight strong people. She wields that scythe like a master, and she has been used as a spy for years. She knows how to lie, and she knows how to cheat!"

"Did something happen between the two of you?" Chrysta slammed her hand on the table in front of them startling Sofia.

"That evil child, cut off the wings of a close friend of mine just to get away from justice! That evil child has just as much blood on her hands as her wicked adopted father!" Chrysta snapped. "I hate her Sofia, and if I see her again then she will pay for her crimes!"

"Which brings me to my next point," Sofia looked towards Orion who was giving her a calming look. "Sofia you are skilled in basic magic, your sword fighting is getting better, and your skills with your enchantlet is also getting better. However, it is time that we begin to work on more self-defense, like hand to hand combat."

"I'm ready," Sofia said.

"Good because your training starts today," Sofia stood from her chair looking excited.

"How do we start?" Orion chuckled a bit.

"For starters, it's time you choose a basic element to study," Orion answered.

"Can I learn three of them?" Orion laughed at that.

"Easy Sofia, start with one and then we will move our way up," Orion remarked.

"Ok, how about wind magic?" Sofia suggested.

"Wise choice," Chrysta said. "Orion is amazing with wind magic, he is the one who taught me?"

"Then I'll go change," Sofia answered as she quickly left.

Once she had gotten changed, the group went outside where Orion had Sofia sat a seat in the grass. "Well, what do we have here," Sofia turned her head and saw that Ember and Tilly were walking up. "Doing a bit of training Sofia?"

"Yes," Sofia answered, "what are you and Ember doing today?"

"The same," Tilly reached down and placed a hand on Ember's shoulder. "Ember wanted to do a bit of training today."

"Hello, again Mr. Orion." Ember greeted with a bow.

"No need for that," Orion said gently. "Lift your head."

"So this is the little ghoul you told me about," Ember turned towards Chrysta. "My name is Chrysta, I'm Sofia mentor."

"Pleasure to meet you Ms. Chrysta," Ember said shyly.

"Orion if you want, you all can join me and Ember today. I was gonna take Ember here to a secluded location near here. She doesn't want anyone to know her secret." Orion nodded his head.

"That would be great, I would love to see what this little one can do," Orion remarked. "Perhaps a little sparring would do wonders for them."

"Alright then, Sofia why don't we go and get our horses, we won't need a carriage for this." Sofia stood up and followed her aunt to the stables and got their horses as well as an extra helmet for Ember. Once that was done, the group (except the Centaur named Trion) followed Tilly as she led them to a place that only she knew about. It was the center of a forest, that had a perfect circle in it covered in red grass.

"Welcome to my secret training grounds," Tilly said.

"Why is the grass red?" Sofia asked.

"According to a legend a witch used to live here and cursed the lands. So now people are afraid to come in here." Tilly explained. "I used this land a lot when I first began to study magic, I came up with a lot of good spells here."

"Can you show us one?" Sofia asked hopefully.

"Of course," Tilly took her wand from her pocket and pointed it to the sky. "Which one, wind, light, fire, lightning, or water?"

"How about wind?" Sofia suggested.

"No problem," Tilly closed her eyes and focused. "Airwave," Tilly pointed her wand towards the towards the trees and a sudden blast of wind made 5 of them collapse to the ground.

"Whoa!" Sofia exclaimed in surprise.

"Now my airwave spell is actually capable of knocking down more trees than that, but you get the basic idea," Tilly put her wand away. "Now Sofia before we start your practice, I believe you need some basic hand to hand training."

"I've never needed to use my hands," Sofia said softly.

"I understand that," Tilly answered. "However, in the case that you do need to truly defend yourself. You need to learn hand to hand combat in case you cannot get a weapon." Tilly turned toward Ember, "Ember if you don't mind I think a little sparring with Ms. Chrysta would do some good for you."

"If she accepts," Ember said softly.

"No problem kiddo," Chrysta cracked her knuckles. "Let's see just how well you can fight."

"While that is going on, I will teach Sofia the basics," Tilly remarked. With a wave of her wand, Tilly had changed into more fighting attire.

Sofia looked towards Orion, "what about you Orion?"

"I will be observing Sofia," Orion answered, "hand to hand combat isn't really my style, once we move to your wind magic. Then I will join in."

* * *

 **Back at the castle.**

"Orginal Ivy!" Ivy growled as one of her clones came into her room through a window. "The Duchess left this morning with Princess Sofia, that new girl, and two of the protectors."

"So there are no protectors in the palace right now?"

"No right now there is still a centaur on the guards, he almost saw me this morning. He seems to be moving in a circle around the palace," Ivy rolled her eyes.

"Such a silly move," Ivy remarked.

"Not so silly since there is also a copy of him on every floor of the castle," Ivy's smile disappeared.

"Smart move," Ivy sighed and pulled out her wand. "Ok both of you can get some rest, well go again when the moon is at it's highest." Ivy waved her wand and a portal opened up revealing Jing-Shuan. "Jimmy, we have a problem."

Jing-Shuan sighed after he had heard Ivy's report, "so Orion is there and he has brought help. Sounds like trouble…. Sounds like he wants a rematch against me for all those years ago. Don't be reckless."

"Also I think the ghoul we are looking for has been adopted by the Duchess," Ivy answered.

"Why do you say that?" After Ivy had explained it to him, he facepalmed himself. "Ivy that is the ghoul we have been looking for!"

"Really?" Ivy looked up cutely. "I thought she had white hair?"

"Ivy her hair was black and then turned to white, remember that is when she almost beat you." Ivy pouted cutely, "you know she almost beat you cause you underestimated her."

"Ok, I didn't know that she was gonna get stronger!" Ivy snapped but quickly calmed down. "So what do we do now? I can't take her on with broken ribs, and she is my rematch, not yours!"

"Easy, we wait," Ivy pouted at that. "For now you gain the royals trusts and try and get one of them to tell you that she is a ghoul. Once you are healed you have my permission to attack. Also, I have to leave for business on a different bounty so I will be gone for at least a month. If you are healed before I return to Enchantcia, you have my permission to kill that ghoul."

"Thank you love you, Jimmy," Ivy said.

"I love you too," Jing-Shuan answered back and the portal closed.

Ivy smiled, she deactivated her spell and her clones disappeared. "Perhaps I can have some fun." Ivy got out of her bed and left her room. "Now what spell do I use to call Boobies?"

* * *

"Ow!" Ember yelped as she got caught with a punch from Chrysta.

"Come on," Chrysta smirked as she flew above the girl. "That wasn't even a strong punch little ghoul. Shall we get a bit more serious and stop holding back?"

Ember flipped back to her feet and let out a growl, "man she is kicking your ass!" Ember groaned as Fury's voice filled her head. "Not now Fury go back to sleep!" Ember ran towards Chrysta and threw a punch. Chrysta flew into the air and spun around kicking Ember in her chest sending her flying back. The sparring match between Ember and Chrysta was a quite a sight to behold. With Ember using her natural speed, going up against the quite flying and quite dodging Chrysta. Chrysta would dodge each of her attacks and counter with perfectly place strike of her own.

As Ember flew back, she activated her Kaguna and two of her four tails came out. She stabbed them into the dirt and stopped herself. "Well, I didn't know you had tails?" Chrysta said as she hovered in the air. "Glad you have something to stop yourself now instead of rolling across the grass again." She lightly teased.

"Alright, that's it no more Mrs, nice girl!" Ember eyes turned bright red, and she ran forward.

"Well then give me your best shot!" Chrysta answered as she dove towards the girl.

"Sofia focus," Sofia turned around and looked towards her aunt. "Come on Sofia." Sofia held her hands up like her aunt taught her and began to move towards her. "Let's try this again shall we."

Sofia let out a huff as she began to throw punches towards Tilly, they were very wild and uncoordinated. Tilly caught one of Sofia punches, "your punches are still very wild, remember to throw a variety of strikes." Sofia threw another punch and Tilly caught that hand as well. "Also try to catch a larger opponent off balance." Tilly placed her foot on Sofia's chest and kicked her away for the 9th time today.

Sofia stumbled but this time keep her balance and raced back for another round. Sofia was a quick learner, and all of the criticism that aunt provided wasn't falling on dead ears. Sofia was throwing a variety of punches this time around. However, her aunt being them ore experience fighter knew how to block and counter each one. Tilly frowned a bit, and a sudden right hand that stopped in front of her made Sofia stumble and fall. "Remeber to stay on guard, your punches are getting better but stay on guard." Tilly smiled and offered her hand to Sofia.

"Sorry," Sofia said, and she looked back at Ember and Chrysta battle.

"I know what you are thinking," Tilly looked at their match as well. "You are thinking, I will never catch up to those two."

"How did you know that?" Sofia asked.

"It's all over your face my little adventure," Tilly answered. "What I would suggest for you my dear is not to compare yourself to two them. Especially not to Ember, she has had to learn to fight to survive. Her speed and strength, as well as those powerful tails of hers, give her advantage over anyone."

"It's just amazing," Sofia said as she watched Ember dodge a kick from Chrysta and counter with her bright red tails. "She is two years younger than me, yet she is so powerful."

"It is amazing," Tilly said. "Come on a couple more rounds then we can start your training in wind magic."

"How long did it take you to learn to fight?" Tilly placed a hand on her chin.

"Years, learning magic, hand to hand combat, and my skilled with a sword took a long time," Tilly waved her wand and summoned two wooden swords. "It was a long hard process, but it is worth it."

"Who trained you?" Sofia asked she took a sword from her aunt.

"Oh a lot of people through my brother was a good rival in sword fighting, so sparring with him was great practice." Tilly spun her sword around in her hand before pointing it towards Sofia. "Now let's see what you can do with a sword, my dear." Sofia held her sword out point aimed at Tilly and came rushing in.

"I see the training at Royal Prep has been working great?" Tilly noted. She was amazed at Sofia's skills with a blade, yes there were flaws but she seemed to be great. "Don't leave yourself too open," Tilly spun around and landed a soft kick to Sofia's side. "When your off balance, recovery as quick as you can." Tilly slashed her sword towards Sofia knocking hers out of her hand. Tilly finished it off by patting her on the head with her blade. "Also keep a tight grip on your handle don't let that sword go."

Sofia nodded her head and grabbed her sword again, "again please!"

"Of course!" Tilly smiled proudly as she ran towards her niece. "I won't be holding back this time!"

"Your pretty good," Chrysta remarked as she blocked Ember's next attack. Chrysta flew back a bit as she dodged a barrage of strikes from Ember's tails. "You are pretty good for a little girl."

"Well," Ember ran towards Chrysta and jumped towards her. "I've had a lot of practice."

"I can see," Chrysta used her better speed in the air and flew behind the girl. "However you shouldn't try and fight an opponent who is better equipped for the air!" Chrysta kicked the girl in the back knocking her to the ground. Ember landed one her feet and rolled out of the way barely avoiding a punch from Chrysta. Chrysta let loose a barrage of punches and kicks towards Ember, who dodged every one of them. Ember blocked one punch and used one of her tails to swept Chrysta's legs out from under her. Chrysta landed on her back and rolled onto her stomach and flew into the air.

"Nice work," Chrysta praised, "You almost had me for a second."

"I think I was winning," Tilly said with a smile.

Chrysta rolled her eyes, "yeah I don't think so?"

"You know you don't need to hold back on me, I heal really fast so I can take a hit," Ember remarked as she got back into a fighting pose. "I wanna get stronger, so come at me even stronger."

Chrysta smiled even brighter, "well then let see what you can do little girl. But first, a water break, cause when we start next time it is gonna be a lot harder."

Chrysta and Ember sat down in the shade of a tree and Orion gave them each a cup of water. "I must say Ember you are strong?"

"Thank you, Mr. Orion,," Ember responded.

"As for you Chrysta, I see that you have improved your combat skills to a new level," Chrysta smiled at her praise. "Now Chrysta if you want, you can use a weapon if you want."

"If that works for Ember then I will," Chrysta remarked.

"I would like to fight Chrysta at her full power, I can tell that she is much stronger than she is showing," Ember answered.

"May I ask you something Ember?" asked Orion.

"Of course."

"Do you still feel pain when you heal?"

"Yes," Ember answered. "Even though ghouls heal really fast, we still feel the pain, but after all of the pain I've gone through it doesn't hurt that much."

"Ouch!" Chrysta winced as she watched Sofia take a hard kick to her side knocking her to ground. "She is not going easy on her."

"Knowing Sofia she probably asked for her aunt not to go east on her," Orion responded.

Sofia stood weakly to feet and took deep breaths, "your getting better." Sofia looked at Tilly who was walking towards her, "your doing pretty well Sofia, just keep your guard up and always be ready to dodge. Come on let's take a break and then we can start your practice with wind magic."

"Alright," Sofia followed her aunt to where the others were seeing and laid down on the grass.

"You know Ms. Tilly, there is a difference between not going easy on your niece and trying to injure her," Chrysta smirked.

"She wanted me to go harder and harder on her," Tilly answered,

"She's right," Sofia sat up and was handed a cup by Ember, "Thank you."

"You are skilled with a blade Sofia, just need to fix a couple things and you will be doing much better," Sofia was happy to hear the praise from Orion. "Now once you are ready, we can begin your wind magic training."

While Sofia was recovering, Ember and Chrysta had begun round two of their battle. "You know kiddo," Chrysta began as she summoned a weapon from her enchantlet, dual short swords. "If you want we can keep on with our hand to hand fight."

"No," Ember summoned her last two tails making four in total. "I would rather take you on at your best. I can't stronger if I don't fight you at your best."

"Well then let's see what you can do," Chrysta spun her blades around in a circle before gliding towards Ember.

"Trust me you'll like what you see," Ember answered as she ran towards Chrysta.

As the duo fought, Sofia watched in awe as she was truly seeing the power of Chrysta and Ember at hand. Every time Ember's tails would come into contact with Chrysta blades sparks would fly and a loud clanging would be heard. However, it was very obvious who was the more skilled of the two. Ember was starting to think that maybe she shouldn't have accepted this match with Chrysta. The difference between Chrysta with her swords and Chrysta without her swords was huge. It was either that or Chrysta had been holding back in their first match.

"Again she is kicking your ass!" Ember growled as Fury's voice was heard again only this time she was laughing.

"Just shut up!" Ember snapped as she jumped back to try and gain a bit of distance but Chrysta wasn't allowing that to happen.

"You know she is going for the kill my dear if you want I could tag in," Fury suggested.

"No, you wanted me to train! So I am gonna fight her myself!" Ember thought.

"No problem," Fury faded away.

Sofia finally recovered and was taken into the woods by Orion. "Why are we going into the woods, Orion?"

"Because this training is gonna need quiet," Orion explained. After they had gotten a bit farther away, Orion had Sofia sit down before him. "Now I am glad that you choose wind magic since it is one of the more easier ones to learn. See converting your magic energy into an element takes a lot. For example, using a water spell with no water nearby takes more energy than casting the same spell when there is a source of water nearby. That is what makes wind magic, one of the most basic and strongest of them. Because it doesn't take a lot of energy to cast cause wind, air, it is all around you." Orion held his palms out, "Sofia hold out your hands and channel the air into your hands."

"Don't you need a wand to use magic?" Sofia asked.

"Well not really," Orion answered. "Using a wand to cast a spell is used to help channel your power to a more focused point. However, someone skilled in magic like myself no longer needs a wand to cast magic. Now focus… summon your magic energy into your hands and then feel the wind on your body. Feel the air run across your body, now breath in and out slowly. Feel the air run through your lungs and inside out your body."

Sofia closed her eyes and did what Orion asked of her a strange feeling of warmth filled her hands, she focused on the air all around her. It was weird, and it was an amazing feeling. Sofia opened her eyes and looked down at her hands, she watched as a small purple ball of energy began to form. It grew bigger and bigger and then it disappeared and was replaced with a ball of air. "There you go, your magic energy has been changed into the wind element."

"Amazing," Although she couldn't see it, she could defiantly feel the ball of air in her palms. "What next?"

Orion held out his hand, and a spellbook appeared in it, "this is yours to keep Sofia, it is a spellbook on wind magic. Study this book and learn the spells, for now, we are gonna try 3 of them. Wind Blast, Wind Dorm, and Wind Levitation."

"Wind Levitation, you mean I'll be able to fly?!" Sofia asked excitedly.

"No that is a way more complex spell," Orion answered. "Wind Levation will allow you to lift yourself off the ground."

"So there is a spell that will let me fly?"

"There is a spell like that but it takes a lot of energy that you don't have yet," Orion explained. "Right now you are only allowed to practice level 1 spells."

"How many levels are there?" Sofia asked.

"There are 5 levels," Orion answered.

"Ok," Sofia reached into her pocket and took out her wand. "So the key is reading the spell chant and then casting the spell."

"That is part of it depending on your magic energy, it will either cast perfectly or will be a little week. So don't get upset if you don't get it right the first time." Sofia nodded her head and looked at the first spell.

"Send a blast of wind towards my enemy Wind Blast!" Sofia pointed her wand towards the tree, and a blast of wand shot up and hit it. It wasn't very powerful and it only knocked down a couple leaves. "It wasn't very powerful."

"That is just the beginning with a little practice that spell will get a lot stronger," Orion held his hand towards the same tree. "For example, Wind Blast!"

Sofia's dropped as a large hole appeared in the trunk of the tree, "and that was just a level 1 spell?!"

"Yes, now let's try wind dome." Sofia nodded her head and quickly read the spell.

"Protect me from my enemies attack, Wind Dome!... Why didn't anything happen?" Sofia asked after a while.

"Read the steps of the spell Sofia," Orion corrected.

"Spin around while saying this spell," Sofia read out loud. "Oh okay," Sofia repeated the spell and spun around. She was amazed as she felt a dome of wind spinning around her.

"Wind Blast!" Sofia turned towards Orion who had shot a blast towards her, his blast broke through Sofia's dome and sent her rolling across the ground into a bush.

"At least warn me next time!" Sofia said as she pulled herself out of the bush.

"Well your spell was strong enough to slow down my attack, but wasn't strong enough to completely stop it," Orion answered. "Also if I warned you, you would have tried to put more power into it." Orion summoned flew up and sat on a branch. "Alright now using Wind Levitation jump up and to my location."

"Alright," Sofia answered. "I summon the wind from the sky above and left me from the ground below. Wind Levitation!" Sofia pointed her wand towards the ground and she managed to get a few feet off the ground. But she couldn't quite make it to Orion location, she dropped onto her knees and began to pant a bit.

"Alright let's take a break," Orion flew down to his student and helped her to a sitting position. "What we are gonna work on for the rest of the day is increasing your magic energy, right now you can handle about 3 spells."

"H-How do increase it?" Sofia asked.

"Well, it all comes down to this. The more you practice magic, the more your magical energy will increase." Orion explained. "Even know there are spells that take to much power for me to cast, I am still getting my magical energy up there."

"How many spells can you cast right now?"

"That depends on the spell some spells require a lot more magic energy than others," Orion explained.

"Can you show me your strongest spell?" Sofia asked.

"The strongest spell I know is used for life or death since it will take every last bit of my magic to cast," Orion explained. Sofia noticed that the wind was starting to pick up, and she realized that it was coming from Orion. "However I can show you one of the most powerful wind spells I know." Orion held both his hands out, the force of the wind was almost pushing Sofia back. It was almost like all the air around them was being compressed into one place. Orion slowly closed his hands together, and his eyes opened up. "Come forth and strike down my enemy with your mighty roar." Orion opened his hands and Sofia was stunned as a huge white dragon came from his hands and let out a roar. "Wind Dragon!"

"Oh my God?" Sofia said true shock.

"Yeah, I can summon about 5 of these before I run out of power," Orion clapped his hands and his dragon disappeared.

"And that move is in this spellbook?" Sofia asked as she looked down at her copy.

"Yes it is a spell that I myself created about 15 years ago," Orion explained with slight pride.

"You made your own spell," Orion nodded his head.

"It is something that everyone wants to do create a spell that will make it into a spellbook one day," Orion could see the look in Sofia's eye. "Yes, we can get back to your training now."

"How did you know I was gonna say that?"

"Because I saw the look in your eyes, now let try those three spells again," Sofia gladly went back to her training.

* * *

By Sunset Sofia and Ember were truly exhausted after a long day of training. They arrived back at the palace just in time for dinner. They had just begun their dinner when Baileywick came into the room a little nervous. "Um, your majesty… someone is requesting an audience with you right now."

"Who is requesting this audience Baileywick?" Roland questioned.

"A bounty hunter by the name of Carolina Andrews," Baileywick answered.

"Carolina Andrews!" Everyone turned and looked at Orion.

"You've heard of her?" Sofia questioned.

"She is a bounty hunter who has quite the reputation across the isles, she has captured some of the most powerful criminals across the isles," Orion explained.

"Baileywick brings her inside, I would like to see what she wants?" Baileywick nodded his head and left the room and arrived a couple moment later with a beautiful woman dressed in all blue.

"Your majesty," The blond haired woman took a bow towards him. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Welcome to Enchantcia," Roland greeted. "Would you care for something to eat?"

"I ate before I came," Carolina answered as she took a seat and pulled a bottle out of her bag. Carolina slid the bottom down the table towards Kind Roland and it stopped in front of him. "A gift, wine from the isles of giants very strong."

"Thank you," Roland answered. "So may I ask what brings you to my kingdom?"

"I heard that a certain crow was spotted in the area, I came here to look for The Vicious Crow known as Ivy," Carolina explained.

"My apologies Ms. Carolina but she isn't in the area anymore, she was run off by my sister and royal sorcerer." Carolina shook her head and began to laugh.

"Oh you poor fools," Carolina answered. "Ivy isn't gone your majesty, she is still in the castle hiding."

"What!" Tilly said in shock. "We searched the whole castle top to bottom and she was nowhere near here. Or even in the surrounding area."

"Believe me your majesty Ivy wouldn't leave the area," Carolina explained. "She is an expert spy, and she could literally be anywhere in this palace. That brings me to why I am here, I have a proposition for you, put a bounty on that girl's head and I will capture her dead or even alive."

"Carolina," Orion spoke up. "I understand your motives, however, the protectors have been put here to protect everyone in this palace from Ivy."

"Orion you know that what I am asking is strictly for business," Carolina answered. "You are here to protect them, I am here to make some money, King Roland allow me to end this little girl before things get out of hand. I know her movements, I know her style, and more importantly, I know how her mind works, and I know what she is."

"And how would you know these things?" Chrysta demanded.

"Cause….I am the one who trained her." Everyone looked at the woman in shock. "And I also know why she is so strong and skilled with a scythe."

"Care to explain?" Roland asked.

"Of course… that child was an experiment by a wicked queen who wanted the perfect killing machine. So she combined a baby, with that of a monster… Ivy isn't just a girl, she is also…. Half Ghoul…"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

"Wait a minute!" Orion spoke, "are you telling us that Ivy is half ghoul!"

"Yes, Orion," Carolina answered. "Ivy is half Ghoul," she repeated darkly.

To Ember this news was groundbreaking, "she can't be…. It's not possible." Ember whispered.

"How could that be?" Tilly questioned. "I've never heard of someone being half-ghoul, I just learned that they were actually real."

"And how did you learn that?" Carolina questioned.

"I ran into one on one of my travels, we became close friends," Tilly answered.

"Interesting," Carolina shot Tilly a knowing look. "Let me tell you the story of Ivy."

"Ivy was found as a baby in my former kingdom of Eragon. Our Queen Angelina Carson wanted to have the strongest army in the world, and she wanted a weapon of ultimate power. So she went after a legend of ghouls, bloodthirsty monsters with superhuman strength, speed, and agility. Beings with weapons known as Kaguna's ability to turn the blood in their bodies into weapons. So she had the best of her kingdom find one for her, and when they did she had all its organs removed. And she had some of them placed into two different babies, one was Ivy. While the other died, Ivy survived and because of the organs inside her, she grew at a fast rate. She could walk at the age of 1 month, read at the age of 5 months, and talk at the age of 7 months. From there My Queen wanted me to train her, at first I didn't care, in fact, I wanted the child died. So I put her through hell, day in and day out I was trying to kill her. However, she still fought it, and the more pain I put her through the bigger her smile would get. I hated that smile so much, her healing factor is very slow, so I couldn't seriously hurt her or she could die. Thanks to me, Ivy learned how to fight, she master magic, and she mastered the weapon my queen gave her. Her signature scythe and all was good for a while I grew attached to her after a while and treated her like my daughter. She must have been 5 years old when Jing-Shuan a former general now turned bounty hunter showed up."

"Someone had placed a bounty on my queen and also give him the order to kill her. He killed my queen and then we have a battle, he truly was stronger than me and beat me in only 3 moves. Then from out of nowhere, the child I called my daughter attacked me from behind and almost killed me. She had turned her back on me because I wasn't strong enough to be her mommy, so she left me and now calls Jing-Shuan her father. Together they destroyed my kingdom leaving nothing there. I have been a bounty hunter for years now, looking for her and making my own money in the process. Your majesty, I have created a monster, a monster that only wants to destroy, and I am the one who needs to take her out."

Carolina reached up and wiped a tear from her eye, "please let me stay, I know she is gonna come back for something. When she does, I will kill her myself, I will send the demon I made back to hell." Carolina turned and looked at Orion. "If you don't want to hire me, then allow me to work with Orion and his protectors to bring her in."

"Orion," Roland looked towards the winged man as well. "It is your choice, I trust you and if you want Ms. Andrews to join your team and help find Ivy. Then I will allow it."

Orion looked at Carolina and offered her his hand, "Ms. Carolina I would be honored to have a warrior as skilled as yourself join me. However, we do not want Ivy died, we want to question her."

"As you wish Orion," Carolina answered. "But once we finish questioning her, we are throwing her in a cell and we are locking away the key!"

"Isn't she just a child?" Sofia spoke up. "Yes she might have made mistakes but she is still just a kid like me."

"Little princess you do not understand the evil that is Ivy. She wants to do nothing but fight and get stronger, I put that in her mind and she will kill anyone whom she deems as strong." Carolina said, "she deserves nothing more than death!"

"Maybe she is just misunderstood?" Sofia suggested. "After what you said, imagine having to train every day to become a weapon instead of just being a kid."

"You have a kind heart little one, but that girls heart is nothing but darkness. Just like the monster who became her father, Jing-Shuan the grim reaper, the angel of death. If he draws his blade towards you, death is what awaits you." Carolina stood to her feet. "I will hunt her down during the evening, and sleep during the day. Ivy will move at night, where she moves her best." Carolina turned around and walked towards the door.

"Carolina wait," Orion spoke up, "you are not going to be creeping around the castle without anyone knowing. King Roland, who is the head of your guard?"

"That would be captain Matthew," Roland answered.

"Carolina you will let Captain Matthew know what you are doing, and then you will have Trion accompany you during the night," Orion ordered.

"Whatever," Carolina answered as she walked through the doors, as she walked she passed Ivy who was gonna take in a desert for the Royals. They locked eyes for a split second, and a smile appeared on Ivy's face.

"I see boobies has got here safe and sound, part 1 of my plan is done. Hopeful she will take care of part 2…..". Ivy thought. "Also hopefully she will bring me a body tonight… it's been a while since the last time I ate."

* * *

"Ember…. Ember…. EMBER!" Ember's eyes opened up and she jumped a bit.

"What is going on?" Ember looked around and her eyes focused on Sofia. The duo were having a bath together after the training they had done all day.

"You blanked out there for a second," Sofia answered. "Are you ok?"

Ember shook her head, " I'm sorry it's just…. I had no idea that the girl who tried to kill me was half ghoul." Ember explained as she gripped her chest, the spot where her heart was. "It's strange I never knew or even meet another ghoul. Knowing that she is half ghoul is just weird."

"I bet it is," Sofia slowly sunk into the warm water and let out a sigh. "This water feels great after a long day of training… Ember how does your healing work?"

"My body heals automatically to any injury I get, from what I read ghouls are the ultimate fighting machines. As long as we don't take to much damage from an attack and bleed out, we can keep on fighting. But we aren't immortal to diseases or sickness." Ember explained.

"Is that why Chrysta and my aunt were able to go harder on you than with me?" Sofia asked.

"Well unlike you, my body will heal so Chrysta could cut me and not worry about me getting hurt, but I don't think they were going that hard on me since I still feel the pain," Ember answered. "My mom hits really hard."

"Tell me about it," Sofia said as she rubbed her cheek. "I had no idea my aunt could hit that hard, she even disarmed me when we were sword fighting. Her training was hard, and my magic training with Orion was amazing. Why don't you learn magic?"

Ember put her hand on her chin, "I would love to learn magic but I would rather relay on my Kaguna."

"What is a kaguna?" Ember summoned one of her tails.

"It's the name of the tails I have, every ghoul has a personal weapon that they make from their own blood. Mine our my 4 tails," Ember explained. "I want to train to get my body more used to them so they stay out longer."

"Is that why you wanted to train today?" Ember nodded her head.

"Using my Kaguna takes a lot of energy and since it is my only form of true attack and defense if I get tired during a battle and it deactivates. Then I could be in serious trouble," Ember explained.

"What do you think of this Carolina person?" Sofia asked.

"Well she is very pretty, and I kind of feel bad for her in a way. She was doing what her queen wanted and in the end, she trained a monster who came to accept as her daughter. Then Ivy turned on her because she wasn't strong enough," Ember said.

"I just don't think that this Ivy girl should have to die," Sofia declared.

"Sofia you would understand if you meet her she is a true monster. She told me during our fight before I lost control of my emotions, that she wants to kill every ghoul she could. She takes the fingers from these ghouls and adds them to a necklace she has." Ember sighed a bit. "She is truly a blood-thirsty monster who wants nothing more than to fight the strongest people she can find. She wants a rematch against me, that is what I am scared of."

"Why would she want a rematch against you?" Sofia asked.

Ember looked into the water and could see Fury staring back at her. "Sofia if I tell you something, do you promise not to tell anyone?"

"Of course," Ember smiled a bit at that.

"A long time ago when I was tortured by someone… I created something by accident, you saw my hair snow white. When I get like that, something takes over, something that wants to destroy and protect me. I named her Fury, and she and Ivy had a fight and Fury almost killed her, then her father attacked us from behind and we had to run away." Ember looked up at Sofia and took a breath. "It works better if I show you."

"What do you mean…..", Sofia began, as Ember's hair slowly turned snow white. Fury cracked her neck a bit and let out a sigh.

"Honestly, I don't know why she let me out?" Fury turned towards Sofia and smirked at her exposing sharp teeth. "So your Princess Sofia, nice to meet you, you may call me Fury."

"Um… hi there…", Sofia said politely. "How do you and Ember share a body?"

"Really that is your first question," Fury laughed at that. "Let me put it like this, I am the embodiment of Ember's negative feelings. Almost like another personality inside of her, when she is truly scared, or in danger I will jump in and fight for her. We both reside inside of her mind."

"What is Ivy like?" Fury let out a growl.

"That brat is pure evil, she hates ghouls! So she wants to kill them all, her scythe is special it is the only things that weaken my healing factor. She carries a necklace of fingers with her. I had no idea that she was a part ghoul, and I don't care I will end her when I see her." Fury lowered her head and slowly her hair turned back black. "I don't want to talk to you!"

Ember let out a gasp as she fell forward into the water, "dang it, Fury! Stop letting me fall when we switch back, I never do that to you!"

Sofia had to giggle a bit at that, "well it seems you two have a good relationship."

"Not really," Ember gagged a bit, "I got water in my nose!"

"Ember," Ember turned towards Sofia, "are you sure that Ivy is pure evil?"

"Sofia look at me," Sofia did what Ember said, "there is a difference between evil and pure evil. Fury is evil, she hates most of human life, she loves death, but she still has a bit of a kind heart. However, Ivy is pure evil. She laughs in the face of battle, she laughs when blood is spilled, she has a freaking neckless of ghoul's fingers. She is pure evil!"

"But she sounds like you," Sofia pointed out. "You were raised in hate weren't you, and she was turned into a warrior!"

"Did you not hear what Ms. Carolina said, the first chance she had she turned on her because she wasn't strong enough!" Ember countered. "She wasn't turned into a warrior, she was a warrior that was turned into a true monster, a pure evil little girl."

"No one is pure evil Ember," said Sofia. "People make bad choices, people make mistakes, and some people are lost to darkness. However, everyone has good in them and in order to be pure evil you must have absolutely no good in them."

"Ivy has no good in her, if she did she wouldn't kill so many just for the love of battle, she wouldn't do those things if there was _some_ good in her." Ember countered.

"Ember," Sofia began. "You don't know her whole story, don't you even think a little bit that she was turned into a monster. After all, Ms. Carolina did say that she put her through that hard training to try and kill her. Maybe that had an effect on her, maybe that gave her the mindset that the weak die and the strong survive?"

"The only thing I know is that she has killed over 100 ghouls, she carries a scythe, she is half-ghoul, she has tried to kill me. She laughed during our battle, the only thing that I know is that she is pure evil!" Ember snapped, "I get that you are nice and forgiving Sofia, but some people have no light in them and Ivy is one of them!"

"She is a kid Ember,"

"So what."

"Then she has good in her, her past is what is blocking her good," Ember sighed at that.

"I don't get you at all Sofia," Ember concluded.

The duo sat in silence for a while neither knowing what to say, "sorry if I seem negative," Ember said after a while. "Sofia she is dangerous, maybe not pure evil but she is dangerous."

"I don't know her," Sofia turned towards Ember, "I've only heard what you and Carolina said about her. Maybe she is dangerous, but I just don't like when people say that someone is pure evil."

"I understand that, and I'm glad you think that way. If you didn't… then I might not be here." Ember reached out and took Sofia's hand. "You walked right over to me after I killed those men, you gave me comfort for a better day. If it wasn't for you, then I wouldn't be here right now, eating good food, having a warm bath and a new mom. Thank you, Sofia."

Sofia gave her new friend and family a smile, "I didn't do much, I just wanted to help you… even if you looked really scary."

* * *

Night came quickly, the palace was quiet and the palace was calm. Ivy was sitting on her bed reading a book, she turned towards the door as it slowly creaked open. A thud hit the ground as a body was thrown on the ground. "Thank's boobies," Ivy climbed off her bed and rubbed her hands together.

Carolina walked into the room and closed the door behind her, "I told you to stop calling me that. They know what you are, I told them. Hope that isn't a problem."

"Did you tell them what you are?" Ivy questioned as she tore an arm off of the body. "Did you drain the blood from this body?" She asked with a pout.

"It was that or the floor was gonna be stained with blood," Carolina answered as she took a seat. "And no I did not tell them," Carolina tore the other arm off of the body. "If they knew that I was also a ghoul that would cause more problems in the long run."

"Who said that you could have some," Carolina shot the child a look before digging her teeth into the body.

"Alright, I have my orders give you a body every night. That should speed up your healing, in a week's time, you should be fully healed. Once you are, I will teach you how to use your Kaguna at night, as well as give you as much information as I can." Carolina bit her thumb and held it towards Ivy, "as for my payment you owe me 234 thousand gold coins if you agree to those terms. Seal it with your blood," Ivy bite her thumb and pressed it against Carolina's. "The pact is made," Carolina concluded as she took an arm of the body. "I will be taking this, you can have the rest. When you finish, destroy the bones."

"Thanks, boobies," Ivy said with a wave.

Carolina left the room and made her way down the hall, "she hates to lose, and only wants to fight the strong… a child that is truly a girl of death. The girl I raised and still care for as my own, the girl who killed the former queen of Eragon. The girl who is the next grim reaper. Ivy the vicious crow, my raven of death." Carolina lifted the arm to her mouth and took a bite. "Things are gonna get very fun in a months time, let's hope those protectors are strong enough to deal with the hell that is coming their way."

 **Thanks for reading.**


End file.
